Moses and the Ark: exploring semantic illusions

In Part One, three experiments investigated the effects of the surface structure of semantic illusion sentences upon semantic illusion rate (Chapters 3 to 6), but only a comparison of question and statements revealed any significant effects, with questions leading to more semantic illusion responses. To explore the implications of this lack of effect, a rating scale study was designed to provide an overview of how semantic illusion sentences compare to sentences used in ordinary discourse: semantic illusion type sentences were found to differ significantly from other sentences along a number of salient dimensions. In Part Two, three further experiments related semantic illusions to problem solving and examined the processing requirements of semantic illusions. Findings indicated that semantic illusions are subject to a kind of ‘functional fixedness’, which prevents thorough processing (Chapters 9 and 10). This may in part be explained by the load that semantic illusion sentences place on working memory, as was indicated by the results of two further experiments, which investigated the role that the different components of working memory play in semantic illusion processing (Chapter 11)

Quantum to classical crossover in the 2D easy-plane XXZ model

Ground-state and thermodynamical properties of the spin-1/2 two-dimensional easy-plane XXZ model are investigated by both a Green's-function approach and by Lanczos diagonalizations on lattices with up to 36 sites. We calculate the spatial and temperature dependences of various spin correlation functions, as well as the wave-vector dependence of the spin susceptibility for all anisotropy parameters $\Delta$. In the easy--plane ferromagnetic region $(-1< \Delta < 0)$, the longitudinal correlators of spins at distance $r$ change sign at a finite temperature $T_0(\Delta, {\bf r})$. This transition, observed in the 2D case for the first time, can be interpreted as a quantum to classical crossover.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, Contribution to the Ising Centennial Colloquium, ICM2000, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, August 200

Impact of diabetes mellitus on long-term outcome after unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with a very early invasive strategy

Aims/hypothesis: We sought to evaluate the impact of diabetes mellitus on long-term outcome in patients with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with a very early invasive strategy. Methods: We carried out a prospective cohort study in 270 diabetic and 1163 non-diabetic patients with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. All patients underwent coronary angiography and, if appropriate, subsequent revascularisation within 24 hours of admission. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality during follow-up for up to 60 months. Results: Diabetic patients had less favourable baseline characteristics including more advanced coronary artery disease and more severe unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 53% of diabetic patients and 56% of non-diabetic patients. Coronary artery bypass grafting was done in 21% of diabetic patients and 12% of non-diabetic patients. In-hospital mortality (4.1% vs 1.3%; hazard ratio 3.47; 95% CI: 1.57 to 7.64; p=0.002) and long-term mortality (9.7% vs 4.9%; hazard ratio 2.11; 95% CI: 1.33 to 3.36; p=0.002) were significantly higher in diabetic patients. After adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics, diabetes mellitus was no longer an independent predictor of long-term mortality (hazard ratio 1.43; 95% CI: 0.74 to 2.78; p=0.292). Conclusions/interpretation: Diabetic patients treated with a very early invasive strategy for unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction have a higher in-hospital and long-term mortality that is largely explained by their less favourable baseline characteristics including more advanced coronary artery disease and more severe unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctio

Immunohistological studies on neoplasms of female and male Onchocerca volvulus: filarial origin and absence of Wolbachia from tumor cells

Up to 5% of untreated female Onchocerca volvulus filariae develop potentially fatal pleomorphic neoplasms, whose incidence is increased following ivermectin treatment. We studied the occurrence of 8 filarial proteins and of Wolbachia endobacteria in the tumor cells. Onchocercomas from patients, untreated and treated with antibiotics and anthelminthics, were examined by immunohistology. Neoplasms were diagnosed in 112 of 3587 female and in 2 of 1570 male O. volvulus. The following proteins and other compounds of O. volvulus were expressed in the cells of the neoplasms: glutathione S-transferase 1, lysosomal aspartic protease, cAMP-dependent protein kinase, alpha-enolase, aspartate aminotransferase, ankyrin E1, tropomyosin, heat shock protein 60, transforming growth factor-beta, and prostaglandin E2. These findings prove the filarial origin of the neoplasms and confirm the pleomorphism of the tumor cells. Signs indicating malignancy of the neoplasms are described. Wolbachia were observed in the hypodermis, oocytes, and embryos of tumor-harbouring filariae using antibodies against Wolbachia surface protein, Wolbachia HtrA-type serine protease, and Wolbachia aspartate aminotransferase. In contrast, Wolbachia were not found in the cells of the neoplasms. Further, neoplasm-containing worms were not observed after more than 10 months after the start of sufficient treatment with doxycycline or doxycycline plus ivermectin

Development and characterization of a tamoxifen-resistant breast carcinoma xenograft

A human tamoxifen-resistant mammary carcinoma, MaCa 3366/TAM, originating from a sensitive parental xenograft 3366 was successfully established by treatment of tumour-bearing nude mice with 1–50 mg kg−1tamoxifen for 3 years during routine passaging. Both tumours did not differ significantly in OR- and PR-positivity, however, when compared with the sensitive tumour line, the mean OR content of the TAM-resistant subline is slightly lower. An OR-upregulation following withdrawal of oestradiol treatment was observed in the parental tumours but not in the resistant xenografts. Following long-term treatment with tamoxifen, the histological pattern of the breast carcinoma changed. The more differentiated structures being apparent after treatment with 17β-oestradiol in the original 3366 tumour were not induced in the resistant line. Tamoxifen failed to induce a tumour growth inhibition in comparison to the tamoxifen-sensitive line. The pure anti-oestrogen, ICI 182 780, revealed cross-resistance. Sequence analysis of the hormone-binding domain of the OR of both lines showed no differences, suggesting that either mutations in other regions of the OR are involved in the TAM-resistance phenotype or that mechanisms outside of this protein induced this phenotype. Oestrogen and anti-oestrogen regulate pS2 and cathepsin D expression in 3366 tumours as in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. The resistant 3366/TAM tumours have lost this regulation. The established breast cancer xenografts 3366 and 3366/TAM offer the possibility of investigating mechanisms of anti-oestrogen resistance in an in vivo situation. They can be used to test novel approaches to prevent, or to overcome, this resistance in a clinically related manner. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis with Seizures and Myocarditis: A Fatal Triad.

Autoimmune pathology of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is generally restricted to the brain. Our objective is to expand the phenotype of ADEM. A four-year-old girl was admitted to the pediatric emergency room of a university medical center five days after a common upper respiratory tract infection. Acute symptoms were fever, leg pain, and headaches. She developed meningeal signs, and her level of consciousness dropped rapidly. Epileptic seizure activity started, and she became comatose, requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation. Serial brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) illustrated the fulminant development of ADEM. Treatment escalation with high-dose corticosteroids, immunoglobulins, and plasma exchange did not lead to clinical improvement. On day ten, the patient developed treatment-refractory cardiogenic shock and passed away. The postmortem assessment confirmed ADEM and revealed acute lymphocytic myocarditis, likely explaining the acute cardiac failure. Human metapneumovirus and picornavirus were detected in the tracheal secrete by PCR. Data sources-medical chart of the patient. This case is consistent with evidence from experimental findings of an association of ADEM with myocarditis as a postinfectious systemic autoimmune response, with life-threatening involvement of the brain and heart