bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Síndrome de Burnout em graduandos de Odontologia
Authors: Campos Juliana Alvares Duarte Bonini , Jordani Paula Cristina , Zucoloto Miriane Lucindo , Bonafé Fernanda Salloume Sampaio , Maroco João
Published: March 2012

A Síndrome de Burnout caracteriza-se por esgotamento profissional e tem sido relatada em estudantes universitários. O objetivo desse estudo foi estimar a prevalência da Síndrome de Burnout em estudantes de Odontologia de uma universidade pública e sua relação com características sociodemográficas. Todos os estudantes (n = 300) foram convidados a participar. Utilizou-se o Inventário de Burnout de Maslach - versão estudantes (MBI-SS). Realizou-se análise das propriedades psicométricas do MBI-SS. Para comparação entre os escores médios das dimensões do Burnout realizou-se Análise de Variância Multivariada (MANOVA) seguida de Análise de Variância (ANOVA) e testes post-hoc de Tukey. Dos 235 participantes, 72,8% eram mulheres e a média de idade era de 21,0 ± 1,8 anos. O MBI-SS mostrou-se confiável e válido. Dos estudantes, 17,0% apresentaram a Síndrome de Burnout. Verificou-se relação significativa entre a Síndrome de Burnout e o desempenho do estudante no curso (F = 4,433, p < 0,001), o consumo de medicação devido aos estudos (F = 7,721, p < 0,001) e o pensamento de desistir do curso (F = 16,168, p < 0,001). Foram mais acometidos aqueles com desempenho ruim no curso, que consomem medicações devido aos estudos e que já pensaram em desistir do curso. Conclui-se que a prevalência da Síndrome entre os estudantes de Odontologia foi alta, sendo significativa a relação entre a Síndrome e o desempenho do estudante no curso, o consumo de medicação devido aos estudos e o pensamento de desistir do curso.
Validade e reprodutibilidade de um questionário para medida de atividade física em adolescentes: uma adaptação do Self-Administered Physical Activity Checklist
Authors: Farias Júnior José Cazuza de , Lopes Adair da Silva , Mota Jorge , Santos Maria Paula , Ribeiro José Carlos , Hallal Pedro Curi
Published: March 2012

OBJETIVO: Analisar a reprodutibilidade "teste-reteste" e a validade de um questionário de atividade física em adolescentes (adaptado do Self-Administered Physical Activity Checklist). MÉTODOS: A análise da reprodutibilidade "teste-reteste" foi realizada com 239 adolescentes (média de idade = 16,0 anos, DP = 1,2; 56,4% do sexo feminino) e a análise da validade com 70 adolescentes (média de idade = 15,7 anos, DP = 1,2; 55,7% do sexo feminino). Todos eram adolescentes do ensino médio no município de João Pessoa (PB), região Nordeste do Brasil, em 2009. A reprodutibilidade foi determinada por meio do procedimento de medidas repetidas - "teste-reteste", com uma semana de intervalo entre as réplicas de aplicação do questionário. Para avaliar a validade, comparou-se a medida de atividade física do questionário com a medida de quatro recordatórios de 24 horas de atividades físicas - método de referência. RESULTADOS: A reprodutibilidade "teste-reteste" foi elevada (coeficiente de correlação intraclasse: CCI = 0,88; IC95%: 0,84 - 0,91) e a concordância moderada para medida de atividade física em duas categorias (< 300min/sem vs. > 300min/sem, índice kappa: k = 0,52). O coeficiente de correlação entre a medida de atividade física do questionário e a do recordatório de 24h foi moderado (Spearman's rho = 0,62; p < 0001). A concordância entre estas duas medidas para o nível de atividade física em duas categorias foi moderada (k = 0,59). CONCLUSÕES: O questionário apresentou níveis elevados de reprodutibilidade e moderados níveis de validade, podendo ser utilizado para mensurar o nível de atividade física em adolescentes.
“Dualities of Interest”: The Inter-Organizational Relationships between Disease-Specific Nonprofits and the Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Paluzzi Joan E.
Published: March 2012

Health care and biomedical research environments in the United States are largely characterized by strategic relational practices conducted beyond the public gaze. The very nature of health care has been widely reconceptualized from a response to physical/biological imperatives regulated by health promotion and the epidemiological distribution of diseases to profit/market imperatives regulated by “product/brand” promotion and market dynamics. At critical decision points throughout the system, we find the multinational pharmaceutical industry wielding the influence that its wealth and power have bought. This study contributes to the growing body of work that seeks to illuminate the relationships between the pharmaceutical industry and the various entities that constitute the U.S. health and research systems. Through the use of case studies, it examines the relationships between the multinational pharmaceutical industry and the large disease-specific public and professional nonprofit organizations. It explores several questions, including: Is the concept of what constitutes a conflict of interest being purposefully manipulated? Is the public benevolence afforded to nonprofits extended to their corporate partners in ways that preclude critical oversight of relational dynamics? And are public donations, solicited by and given in good faith to these organizations, inevitably serving the economic interests and profits of donor pharmaceutical companies?
The WNT Inhibitor Dickkopf 1 and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 Rescue Adipogenesis in Hypertrophic Obesity in Humans
Authors: Gustafson Birgit , Smith Ulf
Published: March 2012

Overweight characterized by inappropriate expansion of adipose cells (hypertrophic obesity) is associated with the metabolic syndrome and is caused by an inability to recruit and differentiate new precursor cells. We examined the role of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) and WNT activation in the regulation of human adipose cell differentiation. Cluster of differentiation (CD)14+/45+ and CD31+ cells were first removed before the remaining stromal vascular cells of human subcutaneous biopsy specimens were differentiated with/without different WNT inhibitors and/or BMP4. Inhibition of WNT and induction of Dickkopf 1 (DKK1) were markers of precursor cells undergoing excellent differentiation. The addition of DKK1 inhibited WNT activation and promoted adipogenesis in cells with a low degree of differentiation. The positive effect of DKK1, inhibiting cellular WNT activation by binding to the Kremen/LDL receptor–related protein receptors, was not seen with inhibitors of secreted WNT ligands. BMP4 increased differentiation, and BMP4 in the presence of DKK1 produced an additive effect. There was an apparent cross-talk between differentiation and commitment because BMP4 expression increased in differentiating adipocytes, and the addition of the BMP4 inhibitor, Noggin, reduced precursor cell differentiation. Thus, differentiated human adipose cells can promote adipogenesis via endogenous BMP4 activation, and the impaired adipogenesis in hypertrophic obesity is mainly due to an inability to suppress canonical WNT and to induce DKK1.
Endoscopically guided removal of cloacal calculi in three African spurred tortoises (Geochelone sulcata)
Authors: Mans Christoph , Sladky Kurt K.
Published: March 2012

Case Description—3 female African spurred tortoises (Geochelone sulcata) of various body weights (0.22, 0.77, and 2.86 kg [0.48, 1.69, and 6.29 lb]) were examined because of reduced food intake and lack of fecal output. Owners reported intermittent tenesmus in 2 of the tortoises.

Clinical Findings—Physical examinations revealed no clinically important abnormalities in the tortoises. Cloacal calculi were diagnosed on the basis of radiography and cloacoscopy in all 3 tortoises. One tortoise had another calculus in the urinary bladder.

Treatment and Outcome—Tortoises were anesthetized, and cloacal calculi were removed by use of a cutting burr (plain-fissure cutting burr and a soft tissue protector mounted to a dental handpiece that had a low-speed motor and a straight nose cone) and warm water irrigation with endoscopic guidance. Complete removal of calculus fragments was achieved by use of forceps and irrigation. In 1 tortoise, removal of the cloacal calculus was staged (2 separate procedures). In another tortoise, a second cloacal calculus (which had been located in the urinary bladder during the first examination) was successfully removed 25 days after removal of the first calculus. All 3 tortoises recovered uneventfully, and serious complications secondary to removal of the cloacal calculi were not detected.

Clinical Relevance—Cloacoscopy combined with the use of a low-speed dental drill and warm water irrigation should be considered a simple, safe, and nontraumatic treatment option for removal of obstructive cloacal calculi in tortoises.
“The Man Without a Country” and America's Post-war Crisis of National Belonging
Authors: Gibian Peter
Published: March 2012

Abstract:

Hale's “The Man Without a Country” turns on itself: The Man without a Country emerges not as the story's one-dimensional villain but as its complex hero—a new sort of cosmopolitan patriot. With its powerful evocation of sentimental attachment to the figure of the American expatriate voyager, Hale's tale reflects the author's struggle to re-assert the sentimental power of an imagined community in the new context of a wide-ranging global existence. Hale may have begun writing in response to the crisis of national belonging triggered by the Civil War, hoping that this piece of invented folklore would reinforce or restore an older mode of bounded American national self-definition, but “The Man without a Country” in fact anticipates the outline of an alternative vision and stance reflecting the new international situation emerging over the course of the 19th-century—giving us a prescient portrait of an American identity that finds itself most fully in trans-national situations.
“Becoming-Woman”: Masculine “Emergency” After 9/11 in Cormac McCarthy
Authors: Jarraway David R.
Published: March 2012

Abstract:

In Cormac McCarthy's most recent fiction, it's the crisis of masculinity in particular which must be signally re-imagined from becoming-woman as a kind of state of emergency (à la President George Bush) to its opposite as an emergent occasion for reassessment and reconfiguration in so-called post-feminist discourse (à la philosopher Gilles Deleuze). In the ever-expanding textual space that opens up, for instance, in No Country for Old Men (2005), between the hyperviolent and sociopathic behaviour of the ghastly Chigurh, and the more empathic and quiescent Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, readers of McCarthy's latest fiction experience a quite palpable shift away from the model of American masculinity instinct with cruelty and isolation famously remarked upon by D. H. Lawrence and Leslie Fiedler (among others), and so visibly sublimated in America's invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq immediately following the 2001 attacks.
Does the Declaration of Independence Declare a State of Emergency?
Authors: Downes Paul
Published: March 2012

Abstract:

The Declaration of Independence announces that a state of emergency is in effect on account of King George's manifest failure to protect his colonial subjects from the horrors of a politico-legal state of nature. But it can also be read to announce the end of a particular way of thinking about the relationship between sovereignty and emergency. The Lockean political philosophy underpinning the Declaration rejects the immediate equation of the state of nature with a state of emergency, an equation associated with the work of Thomas Hobbes and condemned for helping to sustain a pernicious form of political power. The Declaration could then be said to have effected a politicization of emergency insofar as it introduced a distinction between the emergency that helps to sustain arbitrary authority and the emergency situation provoked by that very complicity. But what is the relationship between democratic sovereignty and declarations of emergency? Has emergency and its relationship to sovereign power simply become naturalized or strategically obfuscated since the revolution? This paper prepares the ground for a consideration of such questions.
Suffer the Children: National Crisis, Affective Collectivity, and the Sexualized Child
Authors: Knabe Susan
Published: March 2012

Abstract:

This article takes up the explicit and implicit political deployment of children in relation to two recent enactments of childhood innocence and vulnerability: Dateline NBC's wildly popular series, To Catch a Predator, where men who think they are meeting an underage child for sex are caught on camera, exposed, and arrested; and the phenomenon of Purity Balls, a growing practice within fundamentalist Christian communities, in which a daughter pledges her virginity to her father during a yearly father-daughter formal ball. The article situates these particular examples within the political and ideological utilization of children that has been increasingly apparent within the American political landscape in the latter quarter of the twentieth century. It also draws on the theoretical work by Lee Edelman, Lauren Berlant, and Peter Coviello in order to explore the political and cultural implications of the way that the trope of childhood vulnerability circulates to reiterate a particular kind of heteronormative, patriarchal social imaginary, what Edelman identifies as reproductive futurism, and to anticipate the constitutive effects of vicarious trauma for imagining the nation.
Prospect and Challenges of Basic Chemicals Industries in Bangladesh
Authors: Salahuddin Md Sultan
Published: March 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jce.v26i1.10178 JCE 2011; 26(1): 27-33
Potential of Locally Available Clay as Raw Material for Traditional-Ceramic Manufacturing Industries
Authors: Mousharraf Adnan , Hossain Md Sazzad , Islam Md Fakhrul
Published: March 2012

The traditional white-ware manufacturing industries in Bangladesh use clay as the prime raw material which is mostly imported from abroad. The main reasons are the lack of proper clay refining technolo gy in the country and in some part the unsuitable chemical and structural composition of the locally available naturally occurring clays. Moreover, particle size has also been identified as a major challenge in processing of naturally available clay. These two vital aspects affect plasticity and strength of clay during their processing. The composition and particle size of locally available clay were investigated using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) to reveal the potential of these clays for industrial purpose upon refining. XRF analysis showed presence of excess SiO2 content in the form of Silicate, Fe2O3 and TiO2; all of which pose a challenge in the refining process. Moreover the amount of Al2O3 in most of the compositions is also not up to the minimum level. Using the data based on statistics on particle sizes of raw materials of various origins, this experiment was aimed to reveal the composition and properties of locally available clay that can be projected for further refining to make suitable as raw material for whiteware industries. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jce.v26i1.10179 JCE 2011; 26(1): 34-37
Micronutrient Synergy in the Fight against Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Roomi M. Waheed , Roomi Nusrath W. , Kalinovsky Tatiana , Niedzwiecki Aleksandra , Rath Matthias
Published: March 2012

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), once thought to be a rare tumor in North America, has rapidly increased in recent years in the United States. Current treatment modalities to halt the progression of this disease are only marginally effective. The mainstay treatment is liver transplantation, which is often confronted with donor shortage. Invasion, metastasis and recurrence contribute to the high mortality rate of this disease. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that degrade the extracellular matrix (ECM) have been associated with the progression, invasion and metastasis of the disease. We have developed strategies to strengthen the ECM collagen and inhibit MMPs through micronutrients such as lysine, proline and ascorbic acid. Addition of epigallocatechin gallate or green tea extract to these micronutrients synergistically enhanced anti-carcinogenic activity in HepG2 cells. Addition of certain other micronutrients, such as N-acetylcysteine, selenium, copper and zinc (NM) synergistically enhanced the anticancer activity of the mixture in a model of hepatocellular carcinoma using HepG2 cells. In vitro studies using HepG2 demonstrated that NM was very effective in inhibiting cell proliferation (by MTT assay), MMPs secretion (by gelatinase zymography), cell invasion (through Matrigel) and induction of apoptosis (by live green caspase). In addition, NM was shown to down-regulate urokinase plasminogen activator (by fibrin zymography) and up-regulate tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (by reverse zymography) in another HCC cell line, SK-Hep-1. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities were further modulated by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induction and inhibited by NM. In previous studies, NM inhibited Sk-Hep-1 xenografts in nude mice and also inhibited hepatic metastasis of B16FO melanoma cells. Our results suggest that NM is an excellent candidate for therapeutic use in the treatment HCC by inhibiting critical parameters in cancer development and progression, such as proliferation, invasion and metastasis, and by inducing apoptosis.
Thermodynamic Modelling of an Ejector with Compressible Flow by a One-Dimensional Approach
Authors: Antonio Yveline Marnier , Périlhon Christelle , Descombes Georges , Chacoux Claude
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this study is the dimensioning of the cylindrical mixing chamber of a compressible fluid ejector used in particular in sugar refineries for degraded vapor re‑compression at the calandria exit, during the evaporation phase. The method used, known as the “integral” or “thermodynamic model”, is based on the model of the one‑dimensional isentropic flow of perfect gases with the addition of a model of losses. Characteristic curves and envelope curves are plotted. The latter are an interesting tool from which the characteristic dimensions of the ejector can be rapidly obtained for preliminary dimensioning (for an initial contact with a customer for example). These ejectors, which were specifically designed for the process rather than selected from a catalog of standard devices, will promote energy saving.
Development of 16 Microsatellite Markers for Prince’s Pine, Chimaphila japonica (Pyroleae, Monotropoideae, Ericaceae)
Authors: Liu Zhenwen , Zhao Qianru , Zhou Jing , Peng Hua , Yang Junbo
Published: March 2012

The perennial evergreen herb, Chimaphila japonica is found exclusively in East Asian temperate coniferous or sometimes in deciduous forests. By using the Fast Isolation by Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) of Sequences Containing repeats (FIASCO) protocol, 20 microsatellite primer sets were identified in two wild populations. Of these primers, 16 displayed polymorphisms and 4 were monomorphic. The number of alleles per locus ranged from one to six among populations, values for expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.000 to 0.848 and from 0.000 to 1.000, respectively. The new SSR markers will be useful in obtaining estimates of population-level genetic diversity and in phylogeographic studies of C. japonica.
Folate Intake and Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene Polymorphisms as Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers for Ovarian Cancer Risk
Authors: Zhang Li , Liu Wenxin , Hao Quan , Bao Lewen , Wang Ke
Published: March 2012

Folic acid and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) may affect the development of human cancer. However, few studies have evaluated folate intake and MTHFR in susceptibility to and prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer. We conducted a prospective case-control study in 215 ovarian cancer patients and 218 controls (all Chinese) between Jan. 2004 and Jan. 2007. MTHFR C677T genotyping was done by PCR-RFLP. All patients were followed up until Dec. 2010. We found a 2.43-fold increased risk of ovarian cancer among MTHFR 677TT carriers, and a decreased risk of ovarian cancer in individuals with high folate intake (OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.32–0.94). Cox regression survival analysis showed that among the ovarian cancer patients, those carrying the 677TT genotype had a higher risk of death (HR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.20–4.79), while high folate intake was associated with a lower risk of death (HR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.33–0.88). Moreover, MTHFR 677CC carriers with higher folate intake showed a lower risk of death from ovarian cancer (HR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.27–0.82). In summary, high folate intake may lessen susceptibility and improve the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients, while the MTHFR 677TT genotype appears to increase ovarian cancer risk and worsen its prognosis in a Chinese population.
Isolation and Purification of a Novel Deca-Antifungal Peptide from Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Jopung) Against Candida albicans
Authors: Lee Jong-Kook , Gopal Ramamourthy , Seo Chang Ho , Cheong Hyeonsook , Park Yoonkyung
Published: March 2012

In a previous study, an antifungal protein, AFP-J, was purified from tubers of the potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. L Jopung) and by gel filtration and HPLC. In this study, the functional peptide was characterized by partial acid digestion using HCl and HPLC. We obtained three peaks from the AFP-J, the first and third peaks were not active in the tested fungal strain. However, the second peak, which was named Potide-J, was active (MIC; 6.25 μg/mL) against Candida albicans. The amino acid sequences were analyzed by automated Edman degradation, and the amino acid sequence of Potide-J was determined to be Ala-Val-Cys-Glu-Asn-Asp-Leu-Asn-Cys-Cys. Mass spectrometry showed that its molecular mass was 1083.1 Da. Finally, we confirmed that a disulfide bond was present between Cys3 and Cys9 or Cys10. Using this structure, Potide-J was synthesized via solid-phase methods. In these experiments, only the linear sequence was shown to display strong activity against Candida albicans. These results suggest that Potide-J may be an excellent candidate compound for the development of commercially applicable antibiotic agents.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Luminescent Property of Mg(II) Complex with N-Benzenesulphonyl-L-Leucine and 1,10-Phenanthroline
Authors: Tai Xishi , Wei Na , Wang Donghao
Published: March 2012

A new complex [Mg(L)2(phen)(H2O)2](phen)(H2O)2 [L= N-benzenesulphonyl-L-leucine] was synthesized by the reaction of magnesium chloride hexahydrate with N-benzenesulphonyl-L-leucine and 1,10-phenanthroline in the CH3CH2OH/H2O (v:v = 5:1). It was characterized by elemental analysis, IR and X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. The crystal of the title complex [Mg(L)2(phen)(H2O)2](phen)(H2O)2 belongs to triclinic, space group P-1 with a = 0.72772(15) nm, b = 1.4279(3) nm, c = 1.4418(3) nm, α = 63.53(3)°, β = 79.75(3)°, γ = 81.83(3)°, V = 1.3163(5) nm3, Z =1, Dc= 1.258 μg·m−3, μ = 0.177 mm−1, F(000) = 526, and final R1 = 0.0506, ωR2 = 0.1328. The complex comprises a six-coordinated magnesium(II) center, with a N2O4 distorted octahedron coordination environment. The molecules are connected by hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking to form one dimensional chain structure. The luminescent property of the Mg(II) complex has been investigated in solid.
5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl 5'-Monophosphate (AICAR), a Highly Conserved Purine Intermediate with Multiple Effects
Authors: Daignan-Fornier Bertrand , Pinson Benoît
Published: March 2012

AICAR (5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-beta-D-ribofuranosyl 5'-monophosphate) is a natural metabolic intermediate of purine biosynthesis that is present in all organisms. In yeast, AICAR plays important regulatory roles under physiological conditions, notably through its direct interactions with transcription factors. In humans, AICAR accumulates in several metabolic diseases, but its contribution to the symptoms has not yet been elucidated. Further, AICAR has highly promising properties which have been recently revealed. Indeed, it enhances endurance of sedentary mice. In addition, it has antiproliferative effects notably by specifically inducing apoptosis of aneuploid cells. Some of the effects of AICAR are due to its ability to stimulate the AMP-activated protein kinase but some others are not. It is consequently clear that AICAR affects multiple targets although only few of them have been identified so far. This review proposes an overview of the field and suggests future directions.
High-Throughput Micro-Debubblers for Bubble Removal with Sub-Microliter Dead Volume
Authors: Van Lintel Harald , Mernier Guillaume , Renaud Philippe
Published: March 2012

We present the fabrication and evaluation of microdebubblers that are able to remove large bubbles while keeping a very low dead volume. The devices use a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane that is permeable to air in order to filter air bubbles out of an aqueous sample. The dead volume of the devices is less than one microliter, but bubbles as large as 60 microliters can be removed. This simple solution can be very useful for microfluidic devices for chemical or biological analysis that suffer from channel clogging due to the presence of bubbles in their sample. One embodiment is particularly suited for buffer solutions with living cells.
Current Advances in the Carbon Nanotube/Thermotropic Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymer Nanocomposites and Their Blends
Authors: Cheng Henry Kuo Feng , Basu Tanya , Sahoo Nanda Gopal , Li Lin , Chan Siew Hwa
Published: March 2012

Because of their extraordinary properties, such as high thermal stability, flame retardant, high chemical resistance and high mechanical strength, thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCPs) have recently gained more attention while being useful for many applications which require chemical inertness and high strength. Due to the recent advance in nanotechnology, TLCPs are usually compounded with nanoparticles to form particulate composites to enhance their properties, such as barrier properties, electrical properties, mechanical properties and thermal properties. Carbon-based nanofillers such as carbon nanotube (CNT), graphene and graphene oxide are the most common fillers used for the TLCP matrices. In this review, we focus on recent advances in thermotropic main-chain liquid crystalline polymer nanocomposites incorporated with CNTs. However, the biggest challenges in the preparation of CNT/TLCP nanocomposites have been shown to be inherent in the dispersion of CNTs into the TLCP matrix, the alignment and control of CNTs in the TLCP matrix and the load-transfer between the TLCP matrix and CNTs. As a result, this paper reviews recent advances in CNT/TLCP nanocomposites through enhanced dispersion of CNTs in TLCPs as well as their improved interfacial adhesion with the TLCP matrices. Case studies on the important role of chemically modified CNTs in the TLCP/thermoplastic polymer blends are also included.
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche: Dzogchen and Tibetan Tradition. From Shang Shung to the West
Authors: Roberti di Sarsina Paolo
Published: March 2012

In July 2011 the International Dzogchen Community celebrated its 30th Anniversary. In 1981, near Arcidosso in Tuscany (Italy), Master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche founded the first community or Gar of the International Dzogchen Community. He named it “Meri-gar”, the “Community of the Mountain-of-Fire”. In the 70s Chögyal Namkhai Norbu began to teach Dzogchen to his first students. Interest soon became widespread and having received invitations from all continents, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche began to travel and teach throughout the world. These last thirty years the Dzogchen Community has grown and now has thousands of members in over 40 countries and all continents. The main objective of the Community is to preserve and develop understanding of Dzogchen, as well as preserving Tibet's extraordinary cultural patrimony. The International Shang Shung Institute for Tibetan Studies was founded by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche with this aim and it was inaugurated by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama in 1990. It has a rich collections of Tibetan books and manuscripts and publishes the teachings of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. This article draws on Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’s work and legacy to describe the Dzogchen Lineage and Tibetan Tradition from the very origin of the Shang Shung Culture.
Submersible UV-Vis Spectroscopy for Quantifying Streamwater Organic Carbon Dynamics: Implementation and Challenges before and after Forest Harvest in a Headwater Stream
Authors: Jollymore Ashlee , Johnson Mark S. , Hawthorne Iain
Published: March 2012

Organic material, including total and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), is ubiquitous within aquatic ecosystems, playing a variety of important and diverse biogeochemical and ecological roles. Determining how land-use changes affect DOC concentrations and bioavailability within aquatic ecosystems is an important means of evaluating the effects on ecological productivity and biogeochemical cycling. This paper presents a methodology case study looking at the deployment of a submersible UV-Vis absorbance spectrophotometer (UV-Vis spectro::lyzer model, s::can, Vienna, Austria) to determine stream organic carbon dynamics within a headwater catchment located near Campbell River (British Columbia, Canada). Field-based absorbance measurements of DOC were made before and after forest harvest, highlighting the advantages of high temporal resolution compared to traditional grab sampling and laboratory measurements. Details of remote deployment are described. High-frequency DOC data is explored by resampling the 30 min time series with a range of resampling time intervals (from daily to weekly time steps). DOC export was calculated for three months from the post-harvest data and resampled time series, showing that sampling frequency has a profound effect on total DOC export. DOC exports derived from weekly measurements were found to underestimate export by as much as 30% compared to DOC export calculated from high-frequency data. Additionally, the importance of the ability to remotely monitor the system through a recently deployed wireless connection is emphasized by examining causes of prior data losses, and how such losses may be prevented through the ability to react when environmental or power disturbances cause system interruption and data loss.
The Impact of 18F-FDG PET CT Prior to Chemoradiotherapy for Stage III/IV Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Prestwich Robin J. D. , Bhatnagar Priya , Chowdhury Fahmid U. , Patel Chirag N. , Dyker Karen E. , Coyle Catherine , Şen Mehmet , Scarsbrook Andrew F.
Published: March 2012

Introduction. To determine the value of a FDG-PET-CT scan in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) prior to chemoradiotherapy. Materials and Methods. Consecutive patients with stage III or IV HNSCC who had undergone a staging FDG-PET-CT scan prior to chemoradiotherapy between August 2008 and April 2011 were included. Clinical details and conventional imaging (CT and/or MRI) were, retrospectively, reviewed, a TNM stage was assigned, and levels of cervical lymph node involvement were documented. This process was repeated with the addition of FDG-PET-CT. Radiotherapy plans were reviewed for patients with an alteration identified on TNM staging and/or nodal level identification with FDG-PET-CT and potential alterations in radiotherapy planning were documented. Results. 55 patients were included in the analysis. FDG-PET-CT altered the TNM stage in 17/55 (31%) of patients, upstaging disease in 11 (20%) and downstaging in 6 (11%); distant metastases were identified by FDG-PET-CT in 1 (2%) patient. FDG-PET-CT altered the lymph node levels identified in 22 patients (40%), upclassifying disease in 16 (29%) and downclassifying in 6 (11%). Radiotherapy plans were judged retrospectively to have been altered by FDG-PET-CT in 10 patients (18%). Conclusions. The use of FDG-PET-CT potentially impacts upon both treatment decisions and radiotherapy planning.
Effect of Year, Season and Parity on Milk Production Traits in Murrah Buffaloes
Authors: Pawar Hitesh Nandlal , Ravi Kumar Gandham , Narang Raman
Published: March 2012

The objective of this study was to find out the effects of year, season and parity on milk production traits i.e. total lactation milk yield (TLMY), 305 day milk yield (305d MY) and average fat percentage etc. in Murrah buffaloes under organized herd. Records of 515 Murrah buffaloes maintained at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana, Punjab (India) during the period of 2004-2008 were used. Average TLMY, 305d MY and fat percentage were recorded to be 2229.87± 93.7 kg, 2147.6 ± 87.06 kg and 7.12 ±0.11%. The TLMY was found to be significantly affected by season (P≤0.05) but not by year and parity. The highest milk yield was obtained in buffaloes calving in winter followed by rainy and summer. Milk yield of buffaloes in winter was significantly higher than that of animals in summer (P≤0.05). The TLMY increased over the years with highest milk yield in the year 2006 (2345.1±99.32kg). Similar results were obtained for 305d MY, where only the season was found significant (P≤0.05). The average fat percentage was significantly (P≤0.05) affected by year and season. Milk fat percentage of buffaloes calved in winter was significantly (P≤0.05) higher than that of calved in summer. Similarly milk fat percentage varied significantly among the parities with no consistent increase over the advancement of the parities. In this study season was found to have a significant effect on 305MY and fat % but not on the total lactation milk yield.
Pretreatment With Low‐Dose β‐Adrenergic Antagonist Therapy Does Not Affect Severity of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Palla Amruth R. , Dande Amit S. , Petrini Joann , Wasserman Hal S. , Warshofsky Mark K.
Published: March 2012

Background:

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is a syndrome of transient left ventricular dysfunction following acute emotional or physical stress without obstructive coronary artery disease. The leading hypothesis for the etiology is stress‐induced catecholamine surge.

Hypothesis:

People taking outpatient β‐adrenergic receptor antagonist therapy have less‐severe presentation and clinical course of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Methods:

We identified patients diagnosed with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy from October 2005 to January 2011 by analyzing our cardiac‐catheterization database. Clinical records and angiograms were reviewed by 2 experienced observers independently to confirm the diagnosis. We collected clinical, demographic, laboratory, and angiographic data for the identified patients. We then compared the severity of myocardial dysfunction or damage (cardiac enzymes, left ventricular end diastolic pressure, and left ventricular ejection fraction) between patients taking outpatient β‐adrenergic antagonist therapy upon admission vs those who were not. Arrival and peak values for cardiac enzymes were analyzed when available. Analysis of parameters related to the severity of myocardial dysfunction or damage was conducted using the Mann‐Whitney U test. Means for age were compared using the Student t test. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 (2‐tailed).

Results:

Out of 64 patients identified, 16 (25%) were on one of 3 β‐adrenergic antagonists on presentation: metoprolol succinate, metoprolol tartrate, or atenolol, with mean doses of 75 mg daily, 52.5 mg twice daily, and 37.5 mg daily, respectively. Patients on β‐blockers were older (mean age 73.1 years vs 66 years; P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in levels of cardiac enzymes, left ventricular end diastolic pressure, or left ventricular ejection fraction between the 2 groups.

Conclusion:

Prior therapy with low‐dose β‐adrenergic antagonists does not affect the severity of presentation and clinical course of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy as measured by common markers of myocardial dysfunction. Clin. Cardiol. 2012 DOI: 10.1002/clc.21983

The authors have no funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.
Ensemble dressing for hydrological applications
Authors: Pagano Thomas C. , Shrestha Durga Lal , Wang Q. J. , Robertson David , Hapuarachchi Prasantha
Published: March 2012

This manuscript presents a simple yet effective method to account for uncertainty in hydrologic ensemble forecasting applications. Most operational hydrological ensemble forecasting systems only account for uncertainty in future climate (e.g. precipitation) forcings, ignoring other sources of uncertainty (e.g. model error). The result can be under‐dispersive and overconfident forecasts. Ensemble dressing is a form of statistical post‐processing to include information about the uncertainty of individual ensemble members. First, the historical simulations can be corrected to remove systematic biases. Next, the simulated and observed flow data are transformed to ensure that model residuals can be fitted to a distribution (e.g. normal); this study uses a 2‐parameter log‐sinh transformation. Model residuals in transformed space determine the width of the error distribution. Ensemble forecasts are then generated and transformed. Each ensemble is dressed with the error distribution, the results are untransformed, and finally, a probabilistic forecast is derived from the collective distribution of the dressed ensembles. The method is applied to 128 catchments in southeast Australia, demonstrating that the raw ensemble can be made reliable through the use of this dressing method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential distribution of cobalt, chromium, and nickel between whole blood, plasma and urine in patients after metal‐on‐metal (MoM) hip arthroplasty
Authors: Newton Ashley W. , Ranganath Lakshminarayan , Armstrong Catherine , Peter Viju , Roberts Norman B.
Published: March 2012

Evidence shows that raised cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) whole blood concentrations correlate with poor device outcome in patients following metal‐on‐metal (MoM) hip arthroplasty. To understand the local and systemic pathological effects of these raised metal concentrations it is important to define their distribution between whole blood, plasma, and urine. The metals were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS). Two hundred and five plasma, 199 whole blood, and 24 sets of urine samples were analyzed from 202 patients with Co–Cr alloy MoM hip prostheses implanted between 8 months to 12 years (mean 6.0 years) prior to analysis. Plasma Co (median 39.1 nmol/L) showed significantly positive 1:1 correlation with whole blood Co (median 45.9 nmol/L; R2 = 0.98, p < 0.001, slope = 1.0). Plasma Cr (median 53.8 nmol/L) and whole blood Cr (median 40.3 nmol/L) were also correlated; however, concentrations were significantly higher in plasma indicating relatively little blood cell uptake (R2 = 0.96, p < 0.001, slope = 1.6). Urinary Co was up to threefold higher than Cr (median 334.0 vs. 97.3 nmol/L respectively). Nickel concentrations in whole blood, plasma, and urine were low relative to Co and Cr. The analysis shows fundamental differences in the physiological handling of these metals: Co is distributed approximately equally between blood cells and plasma, whereas Cr is mainly in plasma, despite which, Cr had far less renal excretion than Co. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:1640–1646, 2012
Effective bulk doping concentration of diffused and undiffused silicon wafers obtained from combined photoconductance and photoluminescence measurements
Authors: Hameiri Z. , Trupke T. , Gao N. , Sinton R. A. , Weber J. W.
Published: March 2012

The effective doping concentration of the bulk of a silicon wafer is an important material parameter for photovoltaic applications. The techniques commonly used to measure the effective doping concentration are based on conductance or resistivity measurements and include both contacted methods, such as the four‐point probe, and contactless approaches, such as eddy current measurements. Applying these techniques to diffused wafers is complicated by the fact that the total conductance is the sum of the bulk conductance and the diffused layer conductance. Without further information about the emitter properties, a clear separation of these two parameters is not possible. This paper demonstrates a contactless method for specifically measuring the effective doping concentration of the bulk without significant influence from diffused layers. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regulation of TGF‐β signal transduction by mono‐ and deubiquitylation of Smads
Authors: Dupont Sirio , Inui Masafumi , Newfeld Stuart J.
Published: March 2012

Polyubiquitylation leading to proteasomal degradation is a well‐established mechanism for regulating TGF‐β signal transduction components such as receptors and Smads. Recently, an equally important role was suggested for monoubiquitylation of both Smad4 and receptor‐associated Smads that regulates their function without protein degradation. Monoubiquitylation of Smads was discovered following the identification of deubiquitylases required for TGF‐β signaling, suggesting that continuous cycles of Smad mono‐ and deubiquitylation are required for proper TGF‐β signal transduction. Here we summarize and discuss recent work on Smad mono‐ and deubiquitylation.
Momentum transfer of solar wind plasma in a kinetic scale magnetosphere
Authors: Moritaka Toseo , Kajimura Yoshihiro , Usui Hideyuki , Matsumoto Masaharu , Matsui Tatsuki , Shinohara Iku
Published: March 2012

Solar wind interaction with a kinetic scale magnetosphere and the resulting momentum transfer process are investigated by 2.5-dimensional full kinetic particle-in-cell simulations. The spatial scale of the considered magnetosphere is less than or comparable to the ion inertial length and is relevant for magnetized asteroids or spacecraft with mini-magnetosphere plasma propulsion. Momentum transfer is evaluated by studying the Lorentz force between solar wind plasma and a hypothetical coil current density that creates the magnetosphere. In the zero interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) limit, solar wind interaction goes into a steady state with constant Lorentz force. The dominant Lorentz force acting on the coil current density is applied by the thin electron current layer at the wind-filled front of the magnetosphere. Dynamic pressure of the solar wind balances the magnetic pressure in this region via electrostatic deceleration of ions. The resulting Lorentz force is characterized as a function of the scale of magnetosphere normalized by the electron gyration radius, which determines the local structure of the current layer. For the finite northward IMF case, solar wind electrons flow into the magnetosphere through the reconnecting region. The inner electrons enhance the ion deceleration, and this results in temporal increment of the Lorentz force. It is concluded that the momentum transfer of solar wind plasma could take place actively with variety of kinetic plasma phenomena, even in a magnetosphere with a small scale of less than the ion inertial length.
MUBs inequivalence and affine planes
Authors: Kantor W. M.
Published: March 2012

There are fairly large families of unitarily inequivalent complete sets of N + 1 mutually unbiased bases (MUBs) known in $\mathbb{C}$CN for various prime powers N. The number of such sets is not bounded above by any polynomial as a function of N. While it is standard that there is a superficial similarity between complete sets of MUBs and finite affine planes, there is an intimate relationship between these large families and affine planes. This note briefly summarizes “old” results that do not appear to be well known concerning known families of complete sets of MUBs and their associated planes.
Omnigenity as generalized quasisymmetry
Authors: Landreman Matt , Catto Peter J.
Published: March 2012

Any viable stellarator reactor will need to be nearly omnigenous, meaning the radial guiding-center drift velocity averages to zero over time for all particles. While omnigenity is easier to achieve than quasisymmetry, we show here that several properties of quasisymmetric plasmas also apply directly or with only minor modification to the larger class of omnigenous plasmas. For example, concise expressions exist for the flow and current, closely resembling those for a tokamak, and these expressions are explicit in that no magnetic differential equations remain. A helicity (M, N) can be defined for any omnigenous field, based on the topology by which B contours close on a flux surface, generalizing the helicity associated with quasisymmetric fields. For generalized quasi-poloidal symmetry (M = 0), the bootstrap current vanishes, which may yield desirable equilibrium and stability properties. A concise expression is derived for the radial electric field in any omnigenous plasma that is not quasisymmetric. The fact that the tokamak-like analytical calculations are possible in omnigenous plasmas despite their fully 3D magnetic spectrum makes these configurations useful for gaining insight and benchmarking codes. A construction is given to produce omnigenous B(θ,ζ) patterns with stellarator symmetry.
Impact of resonant magnetic perturbations on nonlinearly driven modes in drift-wave turbulence
Authors: Leconte M. , Diamond P. H.
Published: March 2012

In this work, we study the effects of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) on turbulence, flows, and confinement in the framework of resistive drift wave turbulence. We extend the Hasegawa-Wakatani model to include RMP fields. The effect of the RMPs is to induce a linear coupling between the zonal electric field and the zonal density gradient, which drives the system to a state of electron radial force balance for large δBrB0. Both the vorticity flux (Reynolds stress) and particle flux are modulated. We derive an extended predator prey model which couples zonal potential and density dynamics to the evolution of turbulence intensity. This model has both turbulence drive and RMP amplitude as control parameters and predicts a novel type of transport bifurcation in the presence of RMPs. We find states that are similar to the ZF-dominated state of the standard predator-prey model, but for which the power threshold is now a function of the RMP strength. For small RMP amplitude, the energy of zonal flows decreases and the turbulence energy increases with δBrB0, corresponding to a damping of zonal flows.
Note: A scanning electron microscope sample holder for bidirectional characterization of atomic force microscope probe tips
Authors: Eisenstein Alon , Goh M. Cynthia
Published: March 2012

A novel sample holder that enables atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips to be mounted inside a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the purpose of characterizing the AFM tips is described. The holder provides quick and easy handling of tips by using a spring clip to hold them in place. The holder can accommodate two tips simultaneously in two perpendicular orientations, allowing both top and side view imaging of the tips by the SEM.