The photoresponse of spray-coated and free-standing carbon nanotube films with Schottky contacts.

We report on the photocurrent response of carbon nanotube (CNT) films attached to metallic electrodes. By varying the electrode material, we show that the height of the Schottky barrier at the CNT-metal interface is responsible for the relative magnitude of the photocurrent. We find that the time response associated with this photocurrent varies with the spacing between the electrodes and with the method used to fabricate the CNT film. We also calculate the fill factor associated with these devices to be approximately 25%, independently of the type of the CNT film.

Endogenous estrogen levels and Alzheimer's disease among postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Although several studies have suggested that hormone replacement therapy lowers the risk of AD among postmenopausal women, few studies have evaluated the relationship of endogenous estrogen levels and AD. The current study investigated whether serum estrone and estradiol levels were related to the presence of AD among postmenopausal women not currently taking hormone replacement therapy. METHODS: Using a case-control design, we examined an ethnically diverse sample of postmenopausal women who met National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke-Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria for AD (n = 50) and nondemented controls (n = 93). All women were participants in a study of aging and dementia and were seen consecutively between August 1997 and October 1998. RESULTS: Patients with AD had lower estradiol (F[1,141] = 8.3, p = 0.005) levels than did normal controls. Patients also had lower estrone levels; however, this comparison did not quite meet significance criteria (F[1,141] = 3.6, p = 0.06). Compared to estradiol levels >20 pg/mL, women with AD were four to six times more likely to have levels <20 pg/mL after adjusting for age, years of education, presence of an APOE-epsilon4 allele, ethnicity, and body mass index. There were no significant differences in frequency of AD among women within different quartiles of estrone after adjusting for potential confounds. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this preliminary case-control study suggest that estradiol levels may decline significantly in women in whom AD develops.

Effect of literacy on neuropsychological test performance in nondemented, education-matched elders.

The current investigation compared neuropsychological test performance among nondemented literate and illiterate elders. The sample included participants in an epidemiological study of normal aging and dementia in the Northern Manhattan community. All participants were diagnosed as nondemented by a neurologist, and did not have history of Parkinson's disease, stroke, or head injury. Literacy level was determined by self-report. MANOVAs revealed a significant overall effect for literacy status (literate vs. illiterate) on neuropsychological test performance when groups were matched on years of education. The overall effect of literacy status remained significant after restricting the analyses to elders with no formal education, and after controlling for the effects of language of test administration. Specifically, illiterates obtained lower scores on measures of naming, comprehension, verbal abstraction, orientation, and figure matching and recognition. However tests of verbal list delayed recall, nonverbal abstraction, and category fluency were unaffected by literacy status, suggesting that these measures can be used to accurately detect cognitive decline among illiterate elders in this sample. Differences in organization of visuospatial information, lack of previous exposure to stimuli, and difficulties with interpretation of the logical functions of language are possible factors that contribute to our findings.

Cognitive test performance among nondemented elderly African Americans and whites.

We examined the neuropsychological test performance of a randomly selected community sample of English-speaking non-Hispanic African American and white elders in northern Manhattan. All participants were diagnosed as nondemented by a neurologist, whose assessment was made independent of neuropsychological test scores. African American elders obtained significantly lower scores on measures of verbal and nonverbal learning and memory, abstract reasoning, language, and visuospatial skill than whites. After using a stratified random sampling technique to match groups on years of education, many of the discrepancies became nonsignificant; however, significant ethnic group differences on measures of figure memory, verbal abstraction, category fluency, and visuospatial skill remained. Discrepancies in test performance of education-matched African Americans and whites could not be accounted for by occupational attainment or history of medical conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. These findings emphasize the importance of using culturally appropriate norms when evaluating ethnically diverse elderly for dementia.

Human transplacental transfer of carbidopa/levodopa.

A paucity of information is available concerning the use of levodopa and carbidopa during pregnancy. Particularly lacking is whether these agents cross the placenta and whether levodopa undergoes metabolism in the fetus. The present study carried out in aborted fetal tissues demonstrates that levodopa crosses the placental barrier and suggests that it may be metabolized in fetal tissues, including the brain and spinal cord. The possibility exists that early exposure to levodopa or dopamine may alter the normal neuronal development in the fetus, and caution in the use of levodopa during pregnancy should be observed.

(D-Phe12) bombesin and substance P analogues function as central bombesin receptor antagonists.

The potency of synthetic bombesin (BN) analogues with D-Phe12 substitutions and substance P analogues was investigated in the rat CNS. (D-Phe12,Leu14)BN, (D-Phe12)BN and (Tyr4,D-Phe12)BN inhibited binding to rat brain slices with IC50 values of approximately 2 microM. Similarly, spantide inhibited binding to rat brain slices with an IC50 value of 1.5 microM. Spantide inhibited specific (125I-Tyr4)BN binding as a result of decreased rate of association, whereas the rate of dissociation was unaffected. Neither the (D-Phe12)BN analogues nor the substance P analogues inhibited specific binding of 125I-VIP to rat brain slices. Central administration of BN (0.5 micrograms) induced grooming and suppressed feeding and resting. (Tyr4, D-Phe12)BN (5 micrograms) antagonized the behavioral effects of BN. Although spantide (2 micrograms) also antagonized many of the BN effects, it had intrinsic effects and hence the behavioral antagonism was not specific. These data suggest that although both (D-Phe12)BN and substance P analogues may function as central BN receptor antagonists, the (D-Phe12)BN analogues may be functionally the more useful class of antagonists.