bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temperature Compensation Servo Algorithm for Holographic Data Storage
Authors: Usui Takashi , Ogawa Akihito , Okano Hideaki , Watabe Kazuo , Kuroda Kazuto , Tatsuta Shin'ichi , Kubota Yuji
Published: August 2010

Photopolymers are widely used as media for holographic data storage because of their high dynamic range, high photosensitivity and availability. However, the most photopolymers have a large coefficient of linear thermal expansion. Therefore, it is known that the temperature changes cause deterioration of readout image under the Bragg-mismatch conditions. This paper proposes a new servo algorithm which includes both the servo error signals detection method and the automatic compensation procedures with feedback servo for the holographic data storage system. Experimental results for the proposed technique are demonstrated for temperature changes of up to +25 K successfully.
Limit of Angular Compensation Method for Recording Material Shrinkage Effect in Off-Axis Holographic Storage System
Authors: Lin Chih-Ming , Lan Yung-Sung
Published: August 2010

For an off-axis holographic data storage system using a plane-wave reference beam and angular multiplexing recording, we define αlimto show the limit of material thickness shrinkage, which is compensable by shifting the read reference beam angle with a mount of Δθ to prevent the bright pixel intensity of the reconstructed image from becoming lower than a specific thresholdIth. In this work, we systematically analyzed the characteristics of αlimand corresponding Δθ for different recording parameters by the first Born approximation of the scalar diffraction theory.
A New Recovery Method for Attenuated Holograms in Selective Data Page Rewriting
Authors: Matsumoto Yoshihito , Bunsen Masatoshi , Muto Yutaka , Furuta Hirosuke
Published: August 2010

We propose a novel method of optically recovering holograms that are inevitably attenuated by selective rewriting of a data page in multiplexed holograms. We prove the effectiveness of our hologram recovering method experimentally. We also numerically investigate the recovery degree of multiplexing with consideration of the optical and electric noises, so that we can reveal the maximum recoverable degree of multiplexing under the condition in which such noises exist. Then, we show that the recoverable degree of multiplexing can be improved by setting the appropriate recovery duration.
Data Detection Methods for Holographic Data Storage Systems
Authors: Malki Oliver , Przygodda Frank , Trautner Heiko , Richter Hartmut
Published: August 2010

We suggest a new method for data detection based on direct data identification and compare this new method with three commonly used methods based on decimation using linear transformations. To compare these methods, the complete procedure from data page creation, sending data through an optical channel, and data detection is simulated numerically. This is performed by varying the noise level, sampling factor, and spatial filter. The proposed method requires a higher computational complexity, but for a broad range of realistic system parameters, it enables lower symbol error ratios.
Bit-Error-Rate Evaluation of Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure Read-Only Memory Discs with Semiconductive Material InSb
Authors: Nakai Kenya , Ohmaki Masayuki , Takeshita Nobuo , Hyot Bérangère , André Bernard , Poupinet Ludovic
Published: August 2010

Bit-error-rate (bER) evaluation using hardware (H/W) evaluation system is described for super-resolution near-field structure (super-RENS) read-only-memory (ROM) discs fabricated with a semiconductor material, In–Sb, as the super-resolution active layer. bER on the order of 10-5 below a criterion of 3.0×10-4 is obtained with the super-RENS ROM discs having random pattern data including a minimum pit length of 80 nm in partial response maximum likelihood of the (1,2,2,1) type. The disc tilt, focus offset, and read power offset margins based on bER of readout signals are measured for the super-RENS ROM discs and are almost acceptable for practical use. Significant improvement of read stability up to 40,000 cycles realized by introducing the ZrO2 interface layer is confirmed using the H/W evaluation system.
33.4 Gbyte/Layer Recording with Adaptive Write Strategy for 100 Gbyte Rewritable Triple-Layer Disc
Authors: Nakamura Atsushi , Kobayashi Isao , Narumi Kenji , Takaoka Tomoyasu , Furumiya Shigeru , Miyagawa Naoyasu
Published: August 2010

For multilayer rewritable optical discs, we developed a new adaptive write strategy named the S-22 (sequential 2T–2T) write pulse control method, which controls the laser pulse of the 2T-mark according to the combination of both the preceding and succeeding space lengths. By applying this write strategy, a rewritable triple-layer disc based on Blu-ray disc optical systems with a capacity of 100 Gbyte was realized. In particular, the advantage of this write strategy is significant for a transparent information layer. The bit shift of sequential 2T–2T patterns, which is a dominant error in 100 Gbyte rewritable discs, was well compensated. We experimentally confirmed that adopting the S-22 write pulse control method is effective to improve symbol error rate.
Triple-Layer Rewritable Disc with Sb-Based Phase-Change Material
Authors: Shingai Hiroshi , Kato Tatsuya , Kosuda Masanori , Takagi Yasuhiro , Oyake Hisaji , Hirata Hideki
Published: August 2010

We have been developing a triple-layer rewritable disc on the base of Blu-ray disc systems using a Mn–Sb–Te–Ge phase-change material and N/2 write strategy. The remarkable features of the Mn–Sb–Te–Ge phase-change material are the high crystallization speed and high thermal stability of amorphous marks. The N/2 write strategy can be set at a long cooling pulse period and can realize the formation of amorphous marks of sufficient size. As a result, a sufficient symbol error rate (SER) and a high read stability were achieved and we confirmed the feasibility of a triple-layer rewritable disc with 100 Gbyte and 72 Mbps recording rate.
Tin Alloy Nitride Write-Once Media for Solid Immersion Lens System
Authors: Kato Nobuhiko , Matsukawa Makoto , Okano Makoto , Higashika Yasunobu , Tagiri Takao , Jinno Satoshi , Takishita Toshihiko
Published: August 2010

We studied a high-numerical-aperture (NA) solid immersion lens (SIL) system using tin alloy nitride write-once recording media with a protective cover layer. The jitter value of the disk that was recorded by this system was 8.5% at 100 GB capacity with a track pitch of 160 nm and a bit length of 56.25 nm. We confirmed the feasibility of the SIL-R disk using these recording media with the high-density recording SIL system.
Liquid Atomic Force Microscopy: Solvation Forces, Molecular Order, and Squeeze-Out
Authors: O'Shea Sean J. , Gosvami Nitya N. , Lim Leonard T. W. , Hofbauer Wulf
Published: August 2010

We review the use of atomic force microscopy (AFM) in liquids to measure oscillatory solvation forces. We find solvation layering can occur for all the liquids studied (linear and branched alkanes) but marked variations in the force and dissipationmayarise dependent on: a) the temperature, b) the tip shape/radius of curvature, and c) the degree of molecular branching. Several findings (e.g., the strong temperature dependence in measured solvation forces, solvation oscillations using branched molecules) differ from those observed using the Surface Force Apparatus, because of the nanoscale area probed by AFM. Conduction AFM is used to explore how liquid is squeezed out of the tip–sample gap, and enables the change in contact area of the tip–sample junction to be monitored and compared to mechanical models. We find elastic models provide a good description of the deformation of ordered, solid-like solvation layers but not disordered, liquid-like layers.
Scanning Electrometer: Mapping of Electric Potential and Its Fluctuation
Authors: Kawano Yukio
Published: August 2010

We present a scanning sensor for imaging spatial distributions of electric potential and its temporal fluctuation. This technique utilizes a scanning electrometer based on a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) transistor in GaAs/AlGaAs. The detection mechanism is that local electric potential is detected through gate effects for the 2DEG sensor via capacitive coupling with a sample. Using this technique, we have demonstrated mapping of the electric potential distribution for another 2DEG sample in a GaAs/AlGaAs interface. In addition, by measuring local voltage fluctuations with the electrometer, we have been able to produce the first image of a noise-voltage distribution in a 2DEG sample. When this potential imaging technique is combined with terahertz-wave imaging, the resulting system works as a strong tool for investigating electron transport in the energy and space domains. As application of this system, we show separate imaging of intra- and inter-level scattering distributions in quantum Hall conductors.
Electronic States of Sulfur Vacancies Formed on a MoS2 Surface
Authors: Kodama Nagisa , Hasegawa Tsuyoshi , Okawa Yuji , Tsuruoka Tohru , Joachim Christian , Aono Masakazu
Published: August 2010

Sulfur vacancies formed on a MoS2 surface have been predicted to have electronic states at the Fermi level, and to work as conductive atomic scale structures. We made sulfur vacancies on a MoS2 surface by removing sulfur atoms using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) induced field evaporation, and measured the current–voltage (I/V) characteristics of the vacancies. The I/V curve measured at the vacancies showed a linear increase at a zero bias region, indicating the existence of electronic states at the Fermi level. On the other hand, the I/V curve measured at a clean surface showed a gap of about 1 eV around the Fermi level, as was expected from the theoretical calculation. We also successfully carried out manipulation of Au nanoislands, which will be used as nanopads to be connected to a sulfur vacancy chain.
The Edge Current on Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbons
Authors: Takaki Hirokazu , Kobayashi Nobuhiko
Published: August 2010

We have investigated the electron transport properties of zigzag graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) connected to one-dimensional leads on the edge. Transport properties are calculated using the nonequilibrium Green's function method with a tight-binding scheme. We revealed that an edge current originating in the edge states exists and found that the half width of the resonant peak of the transmission spectrum decays exponentially with increasing width of the GNR.
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Study of In situ Hydrogenation of Si(110) Surface
Authors: Visikovskiy Anton , Yoshimura Masamichi , Ueda Kazuyuki
Published: August 2010

The in situ hydrogenation of the Si(110) surface has been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy. It has been found that a small amount of atomic hydrogen (H) generates missing protrusion defects in the reconstructed “16×2” areas. In the disordered areas, a small amount of H results in the rearrangement of pentagon pairs into a local “4×5” structure after annealing. The saturation coverage and higher temperatures result in a new type of zigzag-like surface structure. The structures formed on Si(110) by in situ hydrogenation are significantly different from those on hydrogenated surfaces obtained by chemical methods, where 1×1 reconstruction is dominant.
Black-Dye-Adsorbed TiO2(110) Electrodes Studied by Frequency-Modulation Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Fujio Keita , Kimura Kenjiro , Koide Naoki , Katayama Hiroyuki , Onishi Hiroshi
Published: August 2010

Single-crystalline TiO2(110) wafers were modified with black dye (BD) to simulate dye-sensitized, solar cell electrodes. The surface of the modified wafers was observed with a frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy in vacuum. Adsorbed BD was identified in a constant-frequency-shift topography. Mechanical energy that dissipated from the oscillating cantilever to the surface was enhanced in the presence of BD.
Effect of Defects Buried in Pentacene/Alkanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayer/Au Film on Its Electronic Properties Visualized by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy/Spectroscopy
Authors: Terada Yasuhiko , Takeuchi Noriaki , Yoshida Shoji , Taninaka Atsushi , Takeuchi Osamu , Shigekawa Hidemi
Published: August 2010

We have used scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy to visualize the spatial correlation between buried structural defects and observed electronic properties in organic device structures. As a typical structure of an organic field-effect transistor, we have prepared pentacene/alkanethiol self-assembled monolayer (SAM)/Au samples with or without defects associated with a gap state at the molecule/Au interface. The effect of the defects, which were hidden behind the pentacene overlayers, on the electronic properties of the SAM was clearly observed. The method used in this study has potential for evaluating the nanoscale correlation between electrical properties and hidden defects inside organic devices.
Development of High-Resolution Imaging of Solid–Liquid Interface by Frequency Modulation Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Suzuki Katsuyuki , Kitamura Shin-ichi , Tanaka Shukichi , Kobayashi Kei , Yamada Hirofumi
Published: August 2010

The high-resolution imaging technique used in liquid environments involving dynamic mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a frequency modulation (FM) detection technique has been newly developed on the basis of a commercial atomic force microscopy (AFM) apparatus, which is, generally, extremely difficult because of the large decrease in Q-factor caused by hydrodynamic damping in liquids. Through various improvements and optimization, the noise density of the improved deflection sensor was 29 fm/√Hz (f
0 = 141 kHz) in liquid. In addition, the noise level and bandwidth of the FM detector were improved to 6 mHz/√Hz and 6 kHz, respectively. Thermal drift was successfully regulated at less than 1 nm/min in air for a sufficiently long time without any special air conditioning treatments. As a result, we succeeded in obtaining high-resolution images of polypropylene sheet, Au thin film, and DNA structures in a buffer solution. Therefore, liquid environments are proved to be suitable for high-resolution imaging by FM-AFM under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) condition.
Temperature Dependence of the Viscoelastic Properties of a Confined Liquid Polymer Measured by Using an Oscillating Optical Fiber Probe
Authors: Itoh Shintaro , Fukuzawa Kenji , Hamamoto Yuya , Zhang Hedong
Published: August 2010

We measured the temperature dependence of the viscoelastic properties of a liquid polymer confined and sheared within a nanometer-sized gap. In the viscoelastic measurements, we used the fiber wobbling method, a highly sensitive method that we have developed for measuring shear forces. As a liquid sample, we used the fluoropolyether lubricant Fomblin Zdol4000. Our experimental results showed that the temperature dependence of the viscosity was well expressed by the well-known Andrade equation, even in the confined state. The activation enthalpy was calculated by assuming that Eyring's theory of viscosity holds for gaps of a width ranging from 100 nm down to a few nanometers. We observed a significant decrease in the activation enthalpy for gaps smaller than 10 nm. Elasticity, which only appeared for confinement in gaps smaller than 10 nm, roughly decreased with increasing temperature.
Size Control of Carbon Nanofiber Probes Fabricated by Ion Irradiation
Authors: Inaba Kazuhisa , Sugita Yoshitaka , Suzuki Takahito , Tanemura Masaki , Hayashi Akari , Hayashi Yasuhiko , Kitazawa Masashi , Ohta Ryo
Published: August 2010

The effect of ion species and fabrication temperature on the size of ion-induced carbon nanofibers (CNFs) grown on tips of scanning probe microscope cantilevers was investigated in detail. Similarly to that using Ar+ ions, the fabrication of CNF probes using Ne+ and Xe+ ions was possible. Xe+ sputtering yielded the shortest CNF probes owing to its large sputtering effect; however, a significant difference in the size of the CNF probes between Ne+ and Ar+ ion irradiation was not observed. The CNFs increased in length with fabrication temperature owing to the enhanced diffusion of C atoms at elevated temperatures; however, the CNF diameter remained almost constant independent of fabrication temperature. Therefore, the fabrication at elevated temperatures was effective for the rapid fabrication of practical CNF probes. Thus, the CNF probe size was controllable by adjusting the fabrication temperature and ion species.
Volume Control of Metal-Plating Deposition Using a Nanopipette Probe by Controlling Electric Charge
Authors: Ito So , Keino Takuya , Iwata Futoshi
Published: August 2010

We describe a novel volume control technique for local metal-plating deposition using a scanning probe microscope with a nanopipette probe. The nanopipette probe, a thermally pulled capillary glass tube, was filled with CuSO4 electrolyte solution. A Cu dot was electrochemically deposited on an Au surface when the nanopipette probe was nearly in contact with the surface by applying a dc bias voltage between the electrolyte solution and the surface. The volume of the deposited Cu dot was dependent on the electric charge during the electrochemical reaction. By controlling the electric charge during the deposition, it was possible to control the volume of the Cu dot. This technique of local metal plating with deposition volume control is applicable for the fabrication of various nanometer-scale structures in fields such as nanomechanics and nanoelectronics.
α-Adrenergic control of blood flow during exercise: effect of sex and menstrual phase
Authors: Limberg Jacqueline K. , Eldridge Marlowe W. , Proctor Lester T. , Sebranek Joshua J. , Schrage William G.
Published: August 2010

Sex differences exist in autonomic control of the cardiovascular system. This study was designed to directly test sex or female menstrual phase-related differences in α-adrenergic control of blood flow during exercise. We hypothesized that women would exhibit reduced α-adrenergic vasoconstriction compared with men during exercise; in addition, women would constrict less during the early luteal than the early follicular phase of the female menses. Young men ( n = 10) were studied once and women ( n = 9) studied twice, once during the early follicular phase and once during the early luteal phase of female menses. We measured forearm blood flow (FBF; Doppler ultrasound of the brachial artery) during rest and steady-state dynamic exercise (15 and 30% of maximal voluntary contraction, 20 contractions/min). A brachial artery catheter was inserted for the local administration of α-adrenergic agonists [phenylephrine (PE; α1) or clonidine (CL; α2)]. Blood flow responses to exercise [forearm vascular conductance (FVC)] were similar between all groups. At rest, infusion of PE or CL decreased FVC in all groups (40–60% reduction). Vasoconstriction to PE was abolished in all groups at 15 and 30% exercise intensity. Vasoconstriction to CL was reduced at 15% and abolished at 30% intensity in all groups; women had less CL-induced constriction during the early luteal than early follicular phase ( P < 0.017, 15% intensity). These results indicate that vasodilator responses to forearm exercise are comparable between men and women and are achieved through similar paths of α-adrenergic vascular control at moderate intensities; this control may differ at low intensities specific to the female menstrual phase.
The hypoxic ventilatory response and ventilatory long-term facilitation are altered by time of day and repeated daily exposure to intermittent hypoxia
Authors: Gerst David G. , Yokhana Sanar S. , Carney Laura M. , Lee Dorothy S. , Badr M. Safwan , Qureshi Tabarak , Anthouard Magalie N. , Mateika Jason H.
Published: August 2010

This study examined whether time of day and repeated exposure to intermittent hypoxia have an impact on the hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) and ventilatory long-term facilitation (vLTF). Thirteen participants with sleep apnea were exposed to twelve 4-min episodes of isocapnic hypoxia followed by a 30-min recovery period each day for 10 days. On days 1 (initial day) and 10 (final day) participants completed the protocol in the evening (PM); on the remaining days the protocol was completed in the morning (AM). The HVR was increased in the morning compared with evening on the initial (AM 0.83 ± 0.08 vs. PM 0.64 ± 0.11 l·min−1·%SaO2−1; P ≤ 0.01) and final days (AM 1.0 ± 0.08 vs. PM 0.81 ± 0.09 l·min−1·%SaO2−1; P ≤ 0.01, where %SaO2 refers to percent arterial oxygen saturation). Moreover, the magnitude of the HVR was enhanced following daily exposure to intermittent hypoxia in the morning (initial day 0.83 ± 0.08 vs. final day 1.0 ± 0.08 l·min−1·%SaO2−1; P ≤ 0.03) and evening (initial day 0.64 ± 0.11 vs. final day 0.81 ± 0.09 l·min−1·%SaO2−1; P ≤ 0.03). vLTF was reduced in the morning compared with the evening on the initial (AM 19.03 ± 0.35 vs. PM 22.30 ± 0.49 l/min; P ≤ 0.001) and final (AM 20.54 ± 0.32 vs. PM 23.11 ± 0.54 l/min; P ≤ 0.01) days. Following daily exposure to intermittent hypoxia, vLTF was enhanced in the morning (initial day 19.03 ± 0.35 vs. final day 20.54 ± 0.32 l/min; P ≤ 0.01). We conclude that the HVR is increased while vLTF is decreased in the morning compared with the evening in individuals with sleep apnea and that the magnitudes of these phenomena are enhanced following daily exposure to intermittent hypoxia.
Elevated baseline V̇o2 per se does not slow O2 uptake kinetics during work-to-work exercise transitions
Authors: DiMenna Fred J. , Bailey Stephen J. , Vanhatalo Anni , Chidnok Weerapong , Jones Andrew M.
Published: August 2010

We investigated whether the characteristic slowing of pulmonary oxygen uptake (V̇o2) kinetics during “work-to-work” exercise is attributable to elevations in baseline metabolic rate (V̇o2) as opposed to the elevated baseline work rate, per se. We hypothesized that a step transition to a higher work rate from “unloaded” cycling, but with elevations in V̇o2 [and heart rate (HR)] reflective of a work-to-work transition, would result in a lengthened phase II time constant (τp). Seven male subjects (mean ± SD age 27 ± 10 yr) completed 1) transitions to a high-intensity work rate from a moderate-intensity work rate (M→H) and 2) two consecutive bouts of high-intensity exercise (U→H and E→H, respectively) initiated from unloaded cycling, with the time separating the exercise bouts chosen such that the baseline V̇o2 for the second transition was similar to the baseline V̇o2 for the M→H transition. The τp for M→H (48 ± 16 s) was significantly greater ( P < 0.05) than the τp for U→H (28 ± 8 s) and E→H (27 ± 6 s), which did not differ significantly. These findings suggest that the altered V̇o2 dynamics that are observed during work-to-work exercise are not related to the elevated baseline V̇o2 (or HR) per se; rather, these effects appear to be linked to the elevated baseline work rate, which would be expected to dictate the subsequent muscle fiber recruitment profile.
The effect of tissue elastic properties and surfactant on alveolar stability
Authors: Andreassen Steen , Steimle Kristoffer L. , Mogensen Mads L. , Serna Jorge Bernardino de la , Rees Stephen , Karbing Dan S.
Published: August 2010

This paper presents a novel mathematical model of alveoli, which simulates the effects of tissue elasticity and surfactant on the stability of human alveoli. The model incorporates a spherical approximation to the alveolar geometry, the hysteretic behavior of pulmonary surfactant and tissue elasticity. The model shows that the alveolus without surfactant and the elastic properties of the lung tissue are always at an unstable equilibrium, with the capability both to collapse irreversibly and to open with infinite volume when the alveolus has small opening radii. During normal tidal breathing, the alveolus can becomes stable, if surfactant is added. Including the passive effect of tissue elasticity stabilizes the alveolus, further allowing the alveoli to be stable, even for lung volumes below residual volume. The model is the first to describe the combined effects of tissue elasticity and surfactant on alveolar stability. The model may be used as an integrated part of a more comprehensive model of the respiratory system, since it can predict opening pressures of alveoli.
Efficacy of Imatinib in Aggressive Fibromatosis: Results of a Phase II Multicenter Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC) Trial
Authors: Chugh Rashmi , Wathen J. Kyle , Patel Shreyaskumar R. , Maki Robert G. , Meyers Paul A. , Schuetze Scott M. , Priebat Dennis A. , Thomas Dafydd G. , Jacobson Jon A. , Samuels Brian L. , Benjamin Robert S. , Baker Laurence H.
Published: August 2010

Purpose: Aggressive fibromatoses (AF; desmoid tumors) are rare clonal neoplastic proliferations of connective tissues that can be locally aggressive despite wide surgical resection and/or radiation therapy. The Sarcoma Alliance for Research through Collaboration (SARC) initiated a prospective phase II trial to investigate the outcome of patients treated with imatinib, a multiple tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in patients with AF, or 1 of 10 sarcoma subtypes. Here, we report specifically on the outcome of patients with AF as well as evaluations undertaken to examine the mechanism of imatinib.

Experimental Design: Patients ≥10 years old with desmoid tumors that were not curable by surgical management or in whom curative surgery would lead to undesirable functional impairment were eligible. Imatinib was prescribed at 300 mg twice daily [body surface area (BSA) ≥ 1.5 m2], 200 mg twice daily (BSA = 1.0-1.49 m2), or 100 mg twice daily (BSA < 1.0 m2). Response outcomes at 2 and 4 months were assessed. Tissue specimens were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for expression of cKIT, platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα), PDGFRβ, AKT, PTEN, FKHR, and β-catenin. Tumor DNA was analyzed for PDGFRα exon 18 and APC mutations by allelic discrimination PCR.

Results: Fifty-one patients were enrolled. The median number of prior regimens was 1. Kaplan-Meier estimates of 2- and 4-month progression-free survival rates were 94% and 88%, respectively, and 1-year progression-free survival was 66%. Objective response rate was 6% (3 of 51). Expression and polymorphisms of target proteins were identified in tissue samples, but no significant correlation with outcome was observed using the samples available.

Conclusion: Imatinib may have a role in the management of unresectable or difficult to resect desmoid tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 16(19); 4884–91. ©2010 AACR.
Reduction in Ki-67 in Benign Breast Tissue of High-Risk Women with the Lignan Secoisolariciresinol Diglycoside
Authors: Fabian Carol J. , Kimler Bruce F. , Zalles Carola M. , Klemp Jennifer R. , Petroff Brian K. , Khan Qamar J. , Sharma Priyanka , Setchell Kenneth D.R. , Zhao Xueheng , Phillips Teresa A. , Metheny Trina , Hughes Jennifer R. , Yeh Hung-Wen , Johnson Karen A.
Published: August 2010

Preclinical and correlative studies suggest reduced breast cancer with higher lignan intake or blood levels. We conducted a pilot study of modulation of risk biomarkers for breast cancer in premenopausal women after administration of the plant lignan secoisolariciresinol given as the diglycoside (SDG). Eligibility criteria included regular menstrual cycles, no oral contraceptives, a >3-fold increase in 5-year risk, and baseline Ki-67 of ≥2% in areas of hyperplasia in breast tissue sampled by random periareolar fine-needle aspiration (RPFNA) during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. SDG (50 mg/d) was given for 12 months, followed by repeat RPFNA. The primary end point was change in Ki-67. Secondary end points included change in cytomorphology, mammographic breast density, serum bioavailable estradiol and testosterone insulin-like growth factor-I and IGF-binding protein-3, and plasma lignan levels. Forty-five of 49 eligible women completed the study with excellent compliance (median = 96%) and few serious side effects (4% grade 3). Median plasma enterolactone increased ∼9-fold, and total lignans increased 16-fold. Thirty-six (80%) of the 45 evaluable subjects showed a decrease in Ki-67, from a median of 4% (range, 2-16.8%) to 2% (range, 0-15.2%; P < 0.001, Wilcoxon signed rank test). A decrease from baseline in the proportion of women with atypical cytology (P = 0.035) was also observed. Based on favorable risk biomarker modulation and lack of adverse events, we are initiating a randomized trial of SDG versus placebo in premenopausal women. Cancer Prev Res; 3(10); 1342–50. ©2010 AACR.
The Nocturnal Bottleneck and the Evolution of Mammalian Vision
Authors: Heesy Christopher P. , Hall Margaret I.
Published: August 2010

Evidence from the early paleontological record of mammalian evolution has often been interpreted as supporting the idea that mammals were nocturnal for most of their early history. Multiple features of extant mammal sensory systems, such as evolutionary modifications to the light-regulated circadian system, photoreceptor complement, and retinal morphology, support this nocturnal hypothesis for mammalian evolution. Here, we synthesize data on eye shape and orbit orientation in mammals as these data compare to other amniotes. Most mammals differ from other amniotes in retaining an eye design optimized for high visual sensitivity, with the requisite reduction in acuity, which is typically restricted to scotopically (i.e. low light) adapted amniotes. Mammals also possess the more convergent (similarly facing) orbits and, on average, the largest binocular visual fields among amniotes. Based on our analyses, we propose that extant mammals retain a scotopic eye design as well as expanded binocular zones as a result of their nocturnal origin. Only anthropoid primates notably differ from general mammalian patterns, and possibly have evolved an eye shape more typical of the ancestral amniote condition.
A Taxonomy of Different Forms of Visual Motion Detection and Their Underlying Neural Mechanisms
Authors: Frost Barrie J.
Published: August 2010

A simple taxonomy of different forms of visual motion is presented to show that there may be a hierarchical system of processing of visual motion in the brain, and that this is first split into self-produced motion and object motion, and then further into various forms of animate and inanimate motion patterns. Further refinement results in specific mechanisms which stem from specific demands of an animal’s life-style and ecological niche. Examples are presented of the underlying neural mechanisms for some of these different classes of visual motion processing, such as simple object motion, looming and time to collision, and stereopsis from the object motion processing subsystem. In contrast, other examples of the neural mechanisms from the self-produced motion system include simple canonical flow field analysis, translation and rotation for guiding action in 3D space, and motion parallax for depth perception. The taxonomy thus provides a framework that may guide future research on how the brain detects and processes other dynamic visual patterns.
Characterization of Stx2 Tubular Response in a Rat Experimental Model of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
Authors: Ochoa F. , Lago N.R. , Gerhardt E. , Ibarra C. , Zotta E.
Published: August 2010

Background/Aims: In Argentina, hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) constitutes the most frequent cause of acute renal failure in children. The aim of our study was to analyze the early tubular response under the effect of Shiga toxin type 2 (Stx2) in a rat experimental model of HUS. Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected intraperitoneally with culture supernatant from recombinant Escherichia coli expressing Stx2. Functional, histological, immunohistochemical and Western blot studies were performed at 48 h postinoculation. Results: Renal tubules showed the loss of the epithelial markers E-cadherin and β-catenin, and an increase in transforming growth factor-β1 expression. We detected the expression of α-smooth muscle actin in the interstitium and fibrosis in the periglomerular areas. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the early tubular response to the effects of Stx2 is related to an immunophenotype change of tubular cells and the presence of mild fibrosis in the interstitium.
Do We Need Different Treatments for Very Elderly COPD Patients?
Authors: Valente S. , Pasciuto G. , Bernabei R. , Corbo G.M.
Published: August 2010

Population ageing is a new challenge for physicians because of the clinical complexity of the elderly. Although geriatric pharmacology is an emerging issue, very little is known and the choice of different treatments for the very elderly is still an important question. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common chronic diseases throughout the world affecting prevalently older people. Despite the increasing burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in older people, underdiagnosis and undertreatment in this age group are still common problems. Some patients are frail as they have impaired homeostatic mechanisms, deteriorated physiological systems, and limited functional reserve. Pharmacotherapeutic decisions should be combined with a careful assessment of comorbidity, polypharmacy, and age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in order to minimize adverse drug events, drug-drug or drug-disease interactions, and nonadherence to treatment. There are few studies that specifically examine age as a factor influencing the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of inhaled therapies, the cornerstone of treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This review provides a summary of age-related physiological changes and their impact on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, with particular regard to the drugs implicated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment, in order to optimize drug therapy.
The Scavenger Receptor Class B, Type I Is a Primary Determinant of Paraoxonase-1 Association With High-Density Lipoproteins
Authors: James Richard W. , Brulhart-Meynet Marie-Claude , Singh Anurag Kumar , Riederer Brigitte , Seidler Ursula , Out Ruud , Van Berkel Theo J.C. , Deakin Sara
Published: August 2010

Objective—

To examine the contribution of the scavenger receptor (SR) BI to the mechanism by which high-density lipoprotein (HDL) acquires paraoxonase-1 (PON1).

Methods and Results—

Serum PON1 activity contributes to the antioxidant capacity of HDLs and is suggested to be an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. The association of PON1 with HDL is a major determinant of its serum activity levels. PON1 secretion was studied in stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary and HepG2 models. Complementary analyses were performed in transgenic models. Modulation of SR-BI expression, by SR-BI small and interfering RNA knockdown and pharmacologically, correlated with significant changes (
P
<0.01) in PON1 secretion to HDLs and very-low-density lipoproteins. Block lipid transport-1 (BLT1), which increases the affinity of HDL for SR-BI without modulating its expression, was associated with significant increases in secretion. Downregulating postsynaptic density 95/disc-large/zona occludens kinase in HepG2 reduced cell SR-BI protein and lowered enzyme secretion. Serum PON1 activity was significantly reduced in postsynaptic density 95/disc-large/zona occludens kinase knockout mice.

Conclusion—

The present study identifies SR-BI as a major determinant of the capacity of HDL to acquire PON1. It reinforces the concept of the receptor as a docking molecule, allowing communication between HDL and the cell, and extends the importance of SR-BI to HDL metabolism and function.
Reactive Oxygen Species Originating From Mitochondria Regulate the Cardiac Sodium Channel
Authors: Liu Man , Liu Hong , Dudley Samuel C.
Published: August 2010

Rationale:

Pyridine nucleotides regulate the cardiac Na
+
current (
I
Na
) through generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Objective:

We investigated the source of ROS induced by elevated NADH.

Methods and Results:

In human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells stably expressing the cardiac Na
+
channel, the decrease of
I
Na
(52±9%;
P
<0.01) induced by cytosolic NADH application (100 μmol/L) was reversed by mitoTEMPO, rotenone, malonate, DIDS (4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid), PK11195, and 4′-chlorodiazepam, a specific scavenger of mitochondrial superoxide and inhibitors of the mitochondrial complex I, complex II, voltage-dependent anion channels, and benzodiazepine receptor, respectively. Anti–mycin A (20 μmol/L), a complex III inhibitor known to generate ROS, decreased
I
Na
(51±4%,
P
<0.01). This effect was blocked by NAD
+
, forskolin, or rotenone. Inhibitors of complex IV, nitric oxide synthase, the NAD(P)H oxidases, xanthine oxidases, the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, and the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive K
+
channel did not change the NADH effect on
I
Na
. Analogous results were observed in cardiomyocytes. Rotenone, mitoTEMPO, and 4′-chlorodiazepam also blocked the mutant A280V GPD1-L (glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1-like) effect on reducing
I
Na
, indicating a role for mitochondria in the Brugada syndrome caused by this mutation. Fluorescent microscopy confirmed mitochondrial ROS generation with elevated NADH and ROS inhibition by NAD
+
.

Conclusions:

Altering the oxidized to reduced NAD(H) balance can activate mitochondrial ROS production, leading to reduced
I
Na
. This signaling cascade may help explain the link between altered metabolism, conduction block, and arrhythmic risk.
Retiree Health Plans for Public School Teachers after GASB 43 and 45
Authors: Clark Robert L.
Published: August 2010

Most public elementary and high school teachers are covered by health insurance provided by their employer while they are employed. In most cases, these health plans are managed at the state level. At retirement, teachers with sufficient years of service are allowed to remain in the health plan. Retiree health plans for teachers vary widely across the country, with some states paying the full premium for the retired teacher while other states require that the retiree pay 100 percent of the premium. Recent changes in the accounting rules now mandate that public sector employers report the accrued liabilities associated with these plans. This article documents the unfunded liabilities of teacher retiree health plans in the various states, examines the reasons for differences in these liabilities, and considers how these plans might evolve in the future.
Scrambling the Nest Egg: How Well Do Teachers Understand Their Pensions, and What Do They Think about Alternative Pension Structures?
Authors: DeArmond Michael , Goldhaber Dan
Published: August 2010

In this article we focus on two questions: How well do teachers understand their current pension plans, and what do they think about alternative plan structures? The data come from administrative records and a 2006 survey of teachers in Washington State. The results suggest that Washington's teachers are fairly knowledgeable about their pensions, although new entrants and mid-career teachers appear to be less knowledgeable than veterans. As for teachers' preferences for plan structure, the survey suggests that when it comes to investing additional retirement savings, a plurality of teachers favor defined contribution plans that offer more portability and choice but also more risk than traditional defined benefit plans. Again, perhaps unsurprisingly, the findings suggest that, all else equal, teachers newer to the profession are more likely than veterans to favor a defined contribution structure.
Labor Market Effects of Pensions and Implications for Teachers
Authors: Friedberg Leora , Turner Sarah
Published: August 2010

While the retirement security landscape has changed drastically for most workers over the last twenty years, traditional defined benefit (DB) pension plans remain the overwhelming norm for K–12 teachers. Because DB plans pay off fully with a fixed income after retirement only if a teacher stays in the profession for decades and yield little or nothing if a teacher leaves early, DB plans induce a strong, nonlinear relationship between years of tenure and benefit accrual. One implication is that as many current teachers approach eligibility for full pensions, there are strong incentives for retirement and associated consequences in the teacher labor market. In this article, we assess the key features of DB plans, discuss the general incentive effects, and consider the application to the particular case of teachers. This work highlights the importance of assessing the characteristics of teachers who respond most to the retirement timing incentives.
Public Pension Plan Reform: The Legal Framework
Authors: Monahan Amy B.
Published: August 2010

There is significant interest in reforming retirement plans for public school employees, particularly in light of current market conditions. This article presents an overview of the various types of state regulation of public pension plans that affect possibilities for reform. Nearly all of the various approaches to public pension plan protection taken by the states have significant flaws. These flaws include a lack of clarity regarding what plan changes the relevant legal standard will allow, combined with either too much or too little protection for plan participants. This article argues that states would be well served to adopt a contractual approach to public pension benefits but to limit that contractual protection to accrued benefits. This approach is clear, protects legitimate participant interests, and preserves an employer's ability to respond to changing economic conditions.
“But the Pension Fund Was Just SITTING There …”: The Politics of Teacher Retirement Plans
Authors: Hess Frederick M. , Squire Juliet P.
Published: August 2010

The tension at the heart of pension politics is the incentive to satisfy today's claimants in the here and now at the expense of long-term concerns. Teacher pensions, in particular, pose two challenges. The first is that political incentives invite irresponsible fiscal stewardship, as public officials make outsized short-term commitments to employees. The second is that incentives hinder modernization, as policy makers avoid the politically perilous task of altering plans ill suited to attracting talent in the contemporary labor market. The alignment of the political stars has helped some states and localities to address the first challenge, but far too few have demonstrated a willingness to tackle the second. We illustrate the political dynamics through discussions of pension plans in New Jersey, Oregon, and San Diego, California, and suggest several political strategies that could make pension challenges more tractable and encourage public officials to be responsible fiscal stewards or to revisit anachronistic retirement systems.
Locating Financialisation
Authors: Fine Ben
Published: August 2010

The notion of financialisation as the exploitation or expropriation of workers’ wages in the sphere of exchange is taken as a critical point of departure. In this way, financialisation is more deeply rooted in contemporary developments, including the slowdown preceding the current global crisis, and in Marx’s own theory of finance. Financialisation is seen to represent the increasing penetration of interest-bearing capital across economic and social reproduction and to be a key defining moment of neoliberalism.
New Waves in Philosophy of Technology, edited by Jan Kyrre Berg Olsen, Evan Selinger, and Søren Riis, London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.
Authors: Wendling Amy E. , Sokolowski Elizabeth M.
Published: August 2010

This review-essay examines the multi-author collection New Waves in Philosophy of Technology. Particular attention is given to the difference between Marx’s and Heidegger’s philosophies of technology. The differential impact of Marx and Heidegger on the essays in the collection is assessed, with some implications drawn about the theoretical background of the philosophy of technology as a whole.
Great Saphenous Vein Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Standard Stripping in the Management of Primary Varicose Veins-A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Helmy ElKaffas Khaled , ElKashef Omar , ElBaz Walied
Published: August 2010

Introduction: Chronic venous insufficiency is the most common vascular disease in the adult population. However, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing therapeutic options are limited. Patients and Methods: A total of 180 patients with saphenofemoral junction and great saphenous reflux detected on duplex were randomized to either ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) or standard surgical treatment. The study participants blindly chose an assignment card that placed them in either group A (ultrasound-guided RFA of the great saphenous vein [GSV]; n = 90); or group B (surgical management n = 90). Patients were followed up for 24 months. Results: The primary occlusion rate in group A was 94.5% versus 100% in group B. Radiofrequency ablation had a lower overall complication rate (P = .02) and shorter post-intervention hospital stay (P = .001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant differences in recurrence rates at 24 months follow-up (P = .45). Radiofrequency ablation was significantly more expensive (P = .003). Conclusion: Great saphenous vein occlusion was achieved efficiently in 94% of our group using RFA with minimal complications and obvious advantages as compared to standard surgery.
Taming Tehran: Evangelical Christians and the Iranian Threat to Israel
Authors: Shapiro Faydra L.
Published: August 2010

Hostile relations between Israel and Iran since the Iranian Revolution have only intensified since the 2005 election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. His strong statements imagining a ‘‘world without Zionism’’ and threats to destroy Israel, combined with an active nuclear program, have many observers concerned about the Iranian threat to Israel. We can include American evangelical Christians among this group. But given the intensity of their eschatological emphasis, we might wonder why evangelical Christians have raised such a passionate voice concerning the Iranian threat to Israel, in what kinds of ways, and what it can tell us about contemporary evangelicalism and the relationship between religion and politics. This paper examines two cases of prominent, premillennialist, evangelical Christian Zionists and their different approaches to the Iranian threat to Israel, in order to understand not only why believers in a doomed world might engage in the political sphere, but also what kinds of rhetoric they use to make sense of that engagement.
Evaluation of a 2-Question Screening Tool for Detecting Depression in Adolescents in Primary Care
Authors: Borner Irmgard , Braunstein Jeffrey W. , St. Victor Rosemary , Pollack Jerome
Published: August 2010

Eighty-five adolescents (ages 13 to 17), recruited from various metropolitan pediatric outpatient clinics, were administered the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-2, a two-item depression screener, along with two other well-established measures of depression, the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results indicated a significant relationship between the second question of the PHQ-2 and the two established measures of depression. Discriminant function analysis revealed that classification of adolescents as depressed or not depressed on the basis of their responses to this second question resulted in correct classification of 73% of adolescents with a sensitivity of 0.48 and specificity of 0.60. The use of both questions resulted in lower classification accuracy (67%) but a higher sensitivity of 0.85 and a slightly lower specificity of 0.51 than either question alone. These results support the use of this measure as a brief screener for adolescent depression in primary care.