bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
'Solve and coagula': Alan Moore and the classical comic book's spatial and temporal systems
Authors: Ecke Jochen
Published: October 2012

This article starts from the neo-formalist assumption that any fictional narrative comic book is governed by three systems: a system of narrative logic, a system of time and a system of space. In conventional comic books, both the system of time and the system of space are subordinated
to the system of narrative logic, which demands clear causality and easily comprehensible linearity. For comics creators, achieving this dominance represents a particularly difficult feat, since the overwhelmingly spatial disposition of the medium has to be overwritten by narrative cues in
order to prevent the reader from becoming aware of his or her highly abstract constructive activity; if not done properly, there is a considerable risk that mise-en-page, artistic style and/or material and diegetic space will take centre stage in the reader's attention instead of the
action. The work of Moore and his collaborators, however, often turns this classical predisposition for action on its head; in comic books such as Watchmen or A Small Killing, the system of comics space (both material and diegetic) comes to dominate the systems of narrative logic
and diegetic time by various metafictional means. In Moore, these self-reflexive operations often tend to have a have a didactic dimension. In constantly alerting the reader to another layer of meaning generated by the quasi-diagrammatic spatial features of the comics medium, an ontological
rift is opened between the respective comic book's diegetic world and the reader's perspective. Moore will thus always draw our attention to the fact that many of his narratives cue two different fabulas: one, usually severely limited in scope, assembled by the diegetic characters,
and another, much more far-reaching, fabula that is constructed by the reader. To provide an example for the many potential uses of this narrative strategy, sample pages from Moore and Oscar Zarate's A Small Killing (1991) are analysed.
Pirate multiplicities: Aion, chronos and magical inscription in the graphic novels of Alan Moore
Authors: Blake Charlie
Published: October 2012

This article will seek to address questions of creativity, sense and expression in the fiction of Alan Moore and a few of the artists with whom he has worked through an examination of their manipulation of time and space and magical inscription in the graphic novel. It will do this
across and alongside the thought of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, on the one hand, and the often antipathetic thought of Alain Badiou, on the other, on virtuality, the event and multiplicity. Taking as its points of triangulation, therefore, first, Moore's Watchmen and Promethea
series, second, Deleuze's appropriation of the Stoic notions of aion and chronos in Logic of Sense and with Guattari in A Thousand Plateaus, and third, Badiou's notion of 'pirate multiplicities' from his essay on Fernando Pessoa in The Century, this article will consider
the hieroglyphic density of magical inscription in Moore as a fabricated codex of fundamental creativity in art, literature and philosophy, and by implication, in the terms that Moore favours and advocates, in magic itself. Moreover, such magical inscription (which it will be assumed encompasses,
in Moore's case, straightforward narrative and image as much as anything specifically occultic) will be considered here as a fabricated codex, whose ontological implications emerge both mimetically and diegetically from its enactment as a narrative device so as to question the very notion
of a distinction of ontological levels between fiction and reality.
Googling 'Vice-President Ford' and the 'Keene Act': The discovery of Watchmen's uchronical universe, twenty years after publication
Authors: De Dobbeleer Michel
Published: October 2012

Having grown up entirely within the Franco-Belgian comics tradition, I confess that I read Watchmen for the first time in 2009. On page 2, I realized that I would need to look up several historical facts and names in order to make sense – more than twenty years after publication
– of the complex background of gloomy Cold War tensions against which the action takes place. (Vainly) desiring to get the full picture and bridge the cross-cultural gap(s), I Googled terms like 'Vice-President Ford', 'KT-28' and 'Keene Act', which made me realize that Watchmen,
to my surprise, has its own 'Wiki', and more important, that it displays a uchronia, or alternate history. Different scholars have fruitfully studied Moore's playing with the narratological levels of story and discourse. While they have focused on the manipulations at the discourse-level,
this article divides the story in separate levels to probe the mechanisms of reading 'uchronical' comic stories. Partially inspired by Wolf Schmid's narratological model (2008), I hypothesize the level of 'uchronical Geschehen'. Comparing Watchmen to some other uchronical
works, I try to explain why Alan Moore's gradual disclosure of the alternate-historical information generates two particular 'uchronical reading pleasures'.
Alan Moore's underground: The formation of a dissident cultural practice
Authors: Gray Maggie
Published: October 2012

This article addresses Alan Moore's earliest work for zines and underground papers from 1971 to 1980. It argues that the hippie counterculture was a formative influence not only on his anarchist politics but his approach to cultural production, and an awareness of its significance is
therefore crucial to the critical understanding of his oeuvre as a whole. Equally Moore's experience of the underground augments historical understanding of the UK counterculture itself and the role of comics within it, and challenges dominant chronological narratives that insist on a definitive
split between its political and cultural wings during this period. This article considers Moore's output in illustration, poetry and prose, but particularly focuses on his earliest comics, featured in Embryo, anon. and The Backstreet Bugle. It looks in detail at the Northampton
Arts Lab and the underground press as counter-institutions, and spaces in which Moore developed highly politicized aesthetic and creative strategies that he would carry into his later professional work. These included a commitment to the realization of non-alienated and collaborative artistic
production, a partisan engagement with key political issues, an insistence on formal experimentation and an emphasis on a demystified and enabling relationship with the reader.
'Nothing too heavy or too light': Negotiating Moore's Tom Strong and the academic establishment
Authors: Simmons David
Published: October 2012

The article examines Alan Moore's America's Best Comics' Tom Strong series. In particular, the article will utilize Pierre Bourdieu's theories concerning cultural capital, and will suggest reasons why the aforementioned series has still largely been ignored by a scholarly community
increasingly interested in introducing the comic book and graphic novel forms into the academic establishment. While Alan Moore's works have often been at the forefront of this nascent appreciation, with older texts such as V for Vendetta (1982–1989), Watchmen (1986–1987)
and From Hell (1991–1996) and newer ventures such as Lost Girls (1991–2006) increasingly discussed in academic circles, at conferences and in the emergent field of comic books studies, as yet Tom Strong seems to lie outside of this groundswell. This article
will argue that this can be perceived as a result of a conscious attempt to subjectively elide those works by Moore that are difficult to fit into accepted critical hegemonies. It is significant that Tom Strong draws on a range of pulp sources (most notably early twentieth-century American
pulp fiction of the sort printed in Weird Tales and Astounding Science Fiction) that are themselves yet to be accepted in the manner that many of the more 'establishment-friendly' Victorian texts referenced in the original League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (1999–)
have been. The absence of any recognizable academic cultural capital means that to date Tom Strong has fallen outside of academic interest in a move that has interesting connotations for how scholars examine and begin to canonize the comic book form.
Philosophy in the fairground: Thoughts on madness and madness in thought in The Killing Joke
Authors: Valereto Deneb Kozikoski
Published: October 2012

This article aims at proposing a reading of the function of madness in Alan Moore's The Killing Joke and establishing a link between the graphic novel and philosophical thought on madness and rationality. The article focuses on the character of the Joker and on the intricacies
of his relationship to madness as the element that inspires and informs the epistemological mode through which he perceives and organizes his knowledge of reality. Instead of addressing the question of whether the Joker is mad, the article seeks to answer the following questions: In what sense
can madness be read as a force that epistemologically regulates the Joker's discourse? and Can the presence of madness be read as disrupting philosophical thought on madness? In order to address these questions, the philosophical debate on madness between Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida
is laid out both in the attempt to establish a link between the two thinkers and The Killing Joke and to set the grounds for an investigation of madness and rationality in the graphic novel. It is argued that the presence of madness in the Joker's discourse elevates madness to the same
status as reason, and hence creates the space for the denunciation of the complicity of the subject of thought.
Alan Moore, Watchmen and some notes on the ideology of superhero comics
Authors: Pellitteri Marco
Published: October 2012

Popular comics, in the particular case of the 'superhero' genre here considered through the lens of Alan Moore's Watchmen comics novel, are mainly based on conservative ideological systems. This article focuses especially on some British and American comic books, which, by emphasizing
the bourgeois ideological basis of superhero comics, have highlighted the limits of such comics and have made them possible to overcome. The article finds similarities and differences between the so-called 'supermen' of serial narratives and the Übermensch.
Dark Genesis: Falls from language and returns to Eden from 'Pog' to Promethea
Authors: Singer Marc
Published: October 2012

While Alan Moore's recent work has emphasized the power and primacy of language, this article examines one early story that focuses on its limitations. 'Pog', published during Moore's tenure on Swamp Thing, returns its characters to their generic, cultural and linguistic origins
to argue that comics and other forms of pictorial narrative can convey meaning more clearly than words. Moore effectively strips the Swamp Thing of language in 'Pog', restoring him to his original role as a speechless, unintelligible monster and forcing him to devise nonverbal, pictorial methods
of communication. Moore's story also recalls a number of intertexts, from Walt Kelly's comic strip Pogo to the Biblical fall of man. These allusions speak directly to the issue's linguistic preoccupations, suggesting that humanity has fallen from a perfect and universal language of
direct correspondence between sign and object into a chaotic profusion of tongues and a welter of arbitrary, floating signifiers. Like later works such as Promethea, 'Pog' proposes that comics have the potential to counteract this linguistic fall through their recourse to visual as
well as verbal narratives. Unlike Moore's later comics, however, 'Pog' does not argue that our world is constituted by language and does not express much confidence that any language, even a visual one, is capable of resolving its shortcomings.
Unsteady state maximun temperature estimation and localization in a tubular chemical reactor
Authors: Vernieres-Hassimi Lamiae , Abdelghani-Idrissi Ahmed , Seguin Dominique , Mouhab Nordine
Published: October 2012

The unsteady state temperature of the reactive mixture along a tubular reactor presents a maximum value resulting from the exothermicity of the chemical reaction.The knowledge of the maximum temperature, (position and value) is an important indicator for safety and quality of reactors in which a highly exothermic reaction takes place. This paper deals with experimental and theoretical estimation and localization of this maximum temperature along a chemical tubular reactor at unsteady state. This reactor is equipped with a jacket in which the refrigerating fluid flows in counter current configuration.The reaction undertaken in the inner tube of the reactor is oxidation of sodium thiosulfate by hydrogen peroxide.The unsteady state is described from the resolution of the model equations, obtained from mass and energy balances, with the numerical method of McCormack.The influences of hydrodynamic, thermal and chemical parameters on the value and position of the maximum temperature are studied.
In vivo Antioxidant and Vasodilating Activities of Gmelina arborea (Verberaceae) Leaves Hexane Extract
Authors: Wansi Sylvie L. , Nyadjeu Paulin , Nguelefack Télesphore Benoît , Fodouop Siaka F. K. , Donatien Atsamo Albert , Kamanyi Albert
Published: October 2012

The present study investigated the effects of Gmelina arborea hexane leaves extract on markers of oxidative stress and its vasorelaxant effects on isolated rat aorta, in order to postulate the possible mechanisms involved in the antihypertensive properties of the plant. To evaluate the antioxidant effects of the extract, rats were randomly divided into four groups of five rats each. With the exception to the group receiving Tween (2.5%), the other groups were treated either with NaCl (900mg/kg/day) alone, NaCl (900mg/kg/day) combined with vitamin C (5mg/kg/day) or Gmelina arborea extract (150mg/kg/day). At the end of eight weeks of treatment, animals were sacrificed and some organs as well as blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. The in vitro vasodilating effects of the extract (0.5-1.5mg/ml) were evaluated using intact and denuded rat thoracic aortic rings or aorta pre-incubated in L-NAME (2µM), indomethacin (2µM) or glibenclamide (2µM) and contracted with phenylephrine (1µM). The in vivo effects of G. arborea hexane extract prevented both left ventricular and vascular hypertrophy, it also modulated lipid metabolism. Moreover, the extract prevented lipid peroxidation, increased superoxide dismutase and catalase activity as well as NO level. On isolated rat aortic rings, the extract induced concentration-dependent vasorelaxant effects. Extract-induced vasodilation was reduced by mechanical denudation of the endothelium as well as pre-treatment with L-NAME, indomethacin or glibenclamide. These results indicate that Gmelina arborea hexane extract possesses bioactive compounds with antioxidant and vasorelaxant properties.
Discretionary vs. Mandatory Prosecution: A Game-Theoretic Approach to Comparative Criminal Procedure
Authors: Nakao Keisuke , Tsumagari Masatoshi
Published: October 2012

Using a game-theoretic model of criminal procedure, we investigate relative merits and demerits of discretionary and mandatory prosecution. The game illustrates a prosecutor's dilemma associated with his two tasks: evidence production and case screening. Discretionary prosecution makes use of incriminating evidence to dispose of weak cases, but discretionary prosecution may suffer the moral-hazard problem in evidence production more seriously than mandatory prosecution. Our welfare analyses suggest that mandatory prosecution outperforms discretionary prosecution when evidence transmission from the prosecutor to the judge is accurate and/or when the cost of litigation incurred by the prosecutor is large.
Physicochemical properties of sodium lignosulfonates (NaLS) modified by laccase
Authors: Zhou Haifeng , Yang Dongjie , Wu Xiaolei , Deng Yonghong , Qiu Xueqing
Published: October 2012

The ability of commercial laccase for improvement of the physicochemical properties of sodium lignosulfonate (NaLS) without any mediator has been investigated. Surface tension, adsorption characteristics, rheological behaviors and fluidity of cement pastes were in focus. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) shows an initial decrease and then an extensive increase of molecular weight (MW) of NaLS after incubation with laccase. Parallel to MW decrement, the content of phenolic groups is increasing, while an MW increment has the opposite effect. The UV-Vis spectra and the zeta potential of NaLS do not indicate further modification of the substitution pattern on the aromatic ring. The surface tension of NaLS and the adsorbed amount of NaLS on MgO particles is elevated after laccase treatment. The electrostatic attraction between MgO particles and NaLS is the main driving force during this adsorption process. The dispersion efficiency of laccase modified NaLS on the MgO slurry and cement paste is improved.
Treating birch wood with a switchable 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene-glycerol carbonate ionic liquid
Authors: Anugwom Ikenna , Mäki-Arvela Päivi , Virtanen Pasi , Willför Stefan , Damlin Pia , Hedenström Mattias , Mikkola Jyri-Pekka
Published: October 2012

The suitability of a new switchable ionic liquid (SIL) has been investigated as a solvent for fractionation of lignocellulosic materials. SIL was prepared from inexpensive chemicals, e.g., glycerol, CO2, and 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene (DBU). Fresh Nordic birch wood (B. pendula) was treated with the SIL for a time period of 1–5 days at 100°C and under atmospheric pressure. Upon SIL treatment, at best, 57% of the hemicelluloses were dissolved and 50% of lignins were dissolved from the native birch. The slightly fibrillated SIL treated chips contained about 55% cellulose. Up to 76% of the recovered species removed from the spent SIL liquor was originating from hemicelluloses, mainly from xylan. The spent SILs were reused for fresh wood dissolution in four consecutive cycles and each time the wood dissolution efficiency was similar. SILs could offer affordable (easy-to-synthesize) solvent systems for partial elimination of hemicelluloses and lignin from wood. SILs can also be prepared in-situ and on-site.
A genetic marker of 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase gene in the cinnamaldehyde-chemotype Cinnamomum osmophloeum
Authors: Hsu Keng-Hao , Huang Wen-Ke , Lin Yan-Liang , Chang Shang-Tzen , Chu Fang-Hua
Published: October 2012

There are numerous chemotypes of Cinnamomum osmophloeum in Taiwan, each of which generates an identical profile of volatile secondary metabolites. Cinnamaldehyde is the major constituent of C. osmophloeum and its quantity varies between strains. The cinnamaldehyde-type C. osmophloeum contains abundance of cinnamaldehyde, which is an economically important product, which can be gained from the leaf essential oil. Here, the genes involved in cinnamaldehyde biosynthesis have been investigated and four candidate genes, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (CoPAL), 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase 1 and 4 (Co4CL1 and Co4CL4), and cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CoCCR), were selected as potential molecular marker typical for the cinnamaldehyde chemotype. Cinnamaldehyde was increased in Co4CL1, Co4CL4, and CoCCR transgenic plants. The results showed that the cinnamaldehyde and non-cinnamaldehyde chemotypes can be distinguished by a single nucleotide polymorphism in the substrate binding pocket region of Co4CL4, at residue 378 of Co4CL4. This polymorphism could be used as a potential molecular marker for identification of strains of C. osmophloeum, which belong to high-yield cinnamaldehyde producer type. In addition, this finding might provide a suitable strategy for biosynthesis of bioactive metabolites in the future.
The antagonistic properties of Trichoderma spp. inhabiting woods for potential biological control of wood-damaging fungi
Authors: Lee Jaejung , Huh Nayoon , Hong Joo Hyun , Kim Beom Seok , Kim Gyu-Hyeok , Kim Jae-Jin
Published: October 2012

The antagonistic potential of Trichoderma spp. for biological control of wood-damaging fungi was investigated in the present paper. In vitro assays to investigate antifungal characteristics of Trichoderma spp. were conducted with various wood-damaging fungi. Exo-chitinase activity of the isolates was also measured. Three typical wood decayers and three sap-stainers served as target fungi. The antagonistic abilities of each Trichoderma species differed markedly according to the target fungus. The growth inhibition rates shown by the non-volatile metabolites against the wood decayers reached 100% for Trichoderma harzianum KUC1459. The antibiotics produced by Trichoderma dorotheae KUC5027, a recently reported species of Trichoderma, revealed strong antagonistic effects against sap-stainers. Trichoderma gamsii KUC1747 effectively inhibited the growth of all wood-damaging fungi in dual culture tests. The exo-chitinases of Trichoderma longibrachiatum KUC1540, Trichoderma aureoviride KUC1335, and T. harzianum KUC1459 showed significantly high activity.
Investigation of copper solubilization and reaction in micronized copper treated wood by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy
Authors: Xue Wei , Kennepohl Pierre , Ruddick John N.R.
Published: October 2012

The purpose of this study was to compare the reaction chemistry of micronized copper and alkaline copper treatments with wood and to determine how fast copper is solubilized during the reaction between the acidic functionality in wood and the basic copper carbonate (CuCO3). Copper species produced in wood by various treatment methods were analyzed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The effects of time and solution concentration on the spectral parameters of copper complexes in sawdust treated with copper sulfate solutions were examined, followed by study on the structure and the rate of formation of the copper complexes in sawdust treated with basic CuCO3 suspension. The study further attempted to identify the soluble copper species formed in wood during treatment with micronized copper preservatives. Comparisons were made among the fixed copper complexes in wood treated with micronized copper preservatives, copper sulfate solutions, basic CuCO3 suspensions and alkaline copper solution. The results showed rapid formation of fixed copper complexes in wood treated with aqueous suspensions of basic CuCO3. These complexes can resist leaching, and they have similar stereochemistry to those formed between wood and copper sulfate. This finding supports the premises that soluble copper is generated during the treatment of sawdust with basic CuCO3, and it can bond to wood cell components by migrating into the cell wall in a manner similar to other soluble copper species. Such copper complexes formed are different from those of alkaline copper treated wood, which can be easily distinguished by EPR.
Capacitance Measurement of Molten Calcium Silicate under Shear Stress Field
Authors: Sukenaga Sohei , Kusada Kakeru , Saito Noritaka , Nakashima Kunihiko
Published: October 2012

The effect of shear stress on the crystallization behavior of molten 50CaO-50SiO2 (mol%) slag was investigated by in-situ measurements of its electrical capacitance in wide temperature range including supercooled region. It is well known that the electrical capacitance of liquids should be generally much higher than that of solids because of the differences in their respective polarization mechanisms. The difference was employed as a sensitive indicator of the crystallization of molten silicates in an experimental furnace equipped with an electrical-capacitance measurement system. The system comprised a Pt-based alloy crucible and a rotating rod that allow us to evaluate the effect of shear stress, both connected to a capacitance meter (LCR meter).

As expected, at a particular temperature, the electrical capacitance of the molten calcium silicate abruptly decreased by roughly three orders of magnitude, which clearly indicated crystallization confirmed by corresponding microstructural analyses. It was also found that, for the rotating-rod measurements (with shear stress), the temperatures at which the capacitance abruptly dropped were higher than that without the shear stress. This suggests that the agitation effect by the rotating-rod accelerates the crystallization of molten calcium silicate.
Recycling of Rubber Tyres in Electric Arc Furnace Steelmaking: Carbon/Slag Reactions of Coke/Rubber Blends
Authors: Zaharia M. , Sahajwalla V. , Saha-Chaudhury N. , O'Kane P. , Fontana A. , Skidmore C. , Knights D.
Published: October 2012

Synopsis

End of life tyres are discarded at an alarming rate reflecting the strength of developing countries economy and the intensity of trade and transportation. Conversely, environmental concerns are increasing the need for alternative materials in steelmaking industries. The solution to this problem involves the development of environmentally-friendly technologies that would utilize these waste products. The present study investigates carbon/slag reactions, including slag foaming and FeO reduction, for a range of coke/rubber blends.

Off-gas emissions (CO and CO2) were monitored and correlated with dynamic changes in volume as a result of iron oxide rich EAF slag and carbon. The gaseous emissions from metallurgical coke showed lower concentrations in comparison to the emissions from the coke-rubber blends. With an increase of rubber in the blend, gaseous emissions were enhanced. Significant carbon/slag interactions occurred when coke/rubber blends were used, with associated iron oxide reductions within the slag phase.

The quantitative estimation of the slag droplet volume was performed by using the Vt/Vo ratio as a measure of slag foaming.

These results indicate that partial replacement of coke with rubber is not only viable, but efficient leading to improved interactions with EAF slag.
Production and separation of no-carrier-added
73
As and
75
Se from
7
Li irradiated germanium oxide target
Authors: Mandal Ajoy , Lahiri Susanta
Published: October 2012

This work reports for the first time 7Li-induced accelerator based production of 71,72,73,74As, 75,76,77Br and 73,75Se radionuclides in their no-carrier-added (nca) state. After the decay of all short-lived radionuclides 75Se and 73As were only existing radionuclides in germanium oxide target, which were subsequently separated by liquid-liquid extraction (LLX) using trioctylamine (TOA) dissolved in cyclohexane as liquid ion exchanger. The presence of stable germanium in various fractions was examined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Spectrometry (ICP-OES). At 0.1 M TOA and 10 M HCl concentration, 75Se and stable Ge were extracted into the organic phase leaving 73As in the aqueous phase. The bulk Ge was stripped back to the aqueous phase by 1 M NaOH, keeping 75Se in the organic phase. Therefore complete separation between 73As, 75Se and bulk Ge was achieved.
Hydraulic Fracture Design Optimization in Unconventional Reservoirs – A Case History
Authors: Palisch Terry T. , Chapman Mark A. , Godwin Jonathan
Published: October 2012

Multistage hydraulic fracturing is one of the key technologies affording the successful development of unconventional reservoirs. Transverse fracturing of horizontal wells has become the standard for development of these plays, allowing commercial exploitation of what were once considered uneconomic resources.

The primary goal of the completion in these ultra-low permeability formations is to provide a conductive path to as much rock as possible, through the use of multistage hydraulic fractures along a horizontal lateral. This requires two separate, yet complimentary strategies – a wellbore with optimal length and completion hardware, and multiple hydraulic fractures with optimal conductivity. Most completions engineers have a good understanding of their wellbore and completion hardware; however, many do not have the same level of knowledge of their hydraulic fractures. This leads many to incorrectly assume that fracture conductivity is unimportant. However, the fracture provides the critical link between the formation and the wellbore; without a durable fracture, the completion will fail.

This paper will present a technique to assess the realistic conductivity of the fracture at downhole conditions, describe the relationship between conductivity and productivity, and evaluate the impact of treatment optimization on economics. Use of this approach allows engineers to design their fracture stimulation to maximize the economic potential of their well.

Laboratory data are presented which demonstrate the impact of downhole conditions on proppant performance, including fines migration, elevated temperatures and embedment. In addition, fracture modeling and actual field results will be presented to illustrate the optimization process. Case histories showing the successful implementation of this method will be provided in unconventional gas (Haynesville), a liquids rich formation (Eagle Ford) and an unconventional oil reservoir (Bakken).

This paper will serve as a resource to those engineers who wish to gain a better understanding of hydraulic fractures or desire to maximize the economics of their completions in unconventional plays.
Prevalence of Known and Unknown Primary Tumor Sites In Spinal Metastasis Patients
Authors: Paholpak Permsak , Sirichativapee Winai , Wisanuyotin Taweechok , Kosuwon Weerachai , Jeeravipoolvarn Polasak
Published: October 2012

Study Design:

A retrospective study.

Objectives:

Three objectives have been designated for this study: (1) to determine the prevalence of identifiable and non-identifiable primary tumor sites in patients with spinal metastasis, (2) to identify the most common site of the known primary tumor sites, and (3) to identify the factors associated with survival time.

Summary of Background Data:

The spine is the third most common metastatic site for several primary visceral carcinomas. The primary tumor site could not be identified in 15% to 20% of patients who had been diagnosed of with a skeletal metastasis. Most of the previous studies on skeletal metastasis have not been limited to spinal metastasis alone.

Methods:

Between January 2007 and July 2011 reviews were done for 82 patients with spinal metastasis who had not received a previous diagnosis of carcinoma. The assessment parameters included the following: general demographic data, Karnofsky score, Frankel score, number of spinal vertebra affected, region of the spine affected by metastasis, other skeletal metastasis site, visceral metastasis, known or unknown primary sites of metastasis, histological cell type of metastasis, and the survival period. The log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model were used to study the survival analysis.

Results:

Of the 82 patients included in the study, 56 were male. The mean age was 57 years. 86.6% had a known primary carcinoma site while the remaining 13.4% had none. The two most common known carcinoma sites were the lung and biliary systems. Among the 11 unknown primary sites, the most common histological finding was adenocarcinoma. The mean survival period was 8.7 ± 11.7 months. The survival analysis revealed two statistically significant factors: the primary tumor site’s aggressiveness (P<0.005) and the presence of visceral metastasis (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

The prevalence of identifiable primary site was 86.6% and the most common site was the lungs followed by the biliary system. The primary carcinoma site’s aggressiveness and the presence of visceral metastasis were the factors associated with patient survival.
Factors related to alveolar bone thickness during upper incisor retraction
Authors: Yodthong Nuengrutai , Charoemratrote Chairat , Leethanakul Chidchanok
Published: October 2012

Objective:

To investigate the factors related to changes in alveolar bone thickness during upper incisor retraction.

Materials and Methods:

The subjects consisted of 23 ongoing orthodontic patients (mean age 20.4 ± 2.7 years) whose upper incisors were bound for retraction. Changes in alveolar bone thickness in the retracted area were assessed using preretraction (T0) and postretraction (T1) cone-beam computed tomography images. Labial bone thickness (LBT), palatal bone thickness (PBT), and total bone thickness (TBT) were assessed at the crestal, midroot, and apical levels of the retracted incisors. Paired t-tests were used to compare T0 and T1 bone thickness measurements. Spearman's rank correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationship of changes in alveolar bone thickness with the rate of tooth movement, change in inclination, initial alveolar bone thickness, and the extent of intrusion.

Results:

As the upper incisors were retracted, the LBT at the crestal level and TBT at the apical level significantly increased (P < .005). Changes in alveolar bone thickness were significantly associated with the rate of tooth movement, change in inclination, and extent of intrusion (P < .05) but not initial alveolar bone thickness (P > .05).

Conclusion:

Rate of tooth movement, change in inclination, and extent of intrusion are significant factors that may influence alveolar bone thickness during upper incisor retraction. These factors must be carefully monitored to avoid the undesirable thickening of alveolar bone.
Comparison of geostatistical approaches dealing with the distribution of snow
Authors: Prusova Marketa , Orlikova Lucie , Hanzlova Marketa
Published: October 2012

This paper deals with a stochastic simulation. Snow cover, representing a regionalized variable, was studied and used as an input parameter for a stochastic simulation. The first step included basic statistical analysis of individual parameters of snow, e.g. snow height. In the next step, an analysis of relationships between the snow and the geomorphological parameters (altitude, slope and aspect) was conducted. The most current methods of spatial interpolation and multifactor evaluation are based on weighted regression relationships. Primarily, the use of conditional stochastic simulation was tested in a variety of software. The main aim of this investigation is to compare selected interpolation methods with stochastic simulation, based on the development of the values and on the evaluation of the incidence of extreme events. The study shall provide users with recommendations for selecting the optimal interpolation method and its application to real data.
Charcoal and pollen analyses and vegetation reconstruction of the Alpine foreland in West Hungary
Authors: Náfrádi Katalin , Sümegi Pál , Törőcsik Tünde
Published: October 2012

In the area of archaeological excavations that were performed prior to the construction of Main Road No. 86 in Vas County (West Hungary) in the Alpine foreland new geoarchaeological analyses have been conducted. We used anthracology and pollen analyses to reconstruct the former vegetation cover at the study site. Charcoal data provide site-related information about the local woodland composition, management and human impact, while pollen data provide information on the arboreal and non-arboreal vegetation on a regional or local scale. Adequate samples for anthracological analyses derive from the Bronze Age, Iron Age, Imperial and Migration Periods and Middle-Ages archaeological objects. The core for pollen analyses originates from alluvial sediments of the Borzó Creek and covers the late Pleistocene and the Holocene until the Medieval Period. Charcoal analyses show the dominance of Quercus trees in the vicinity of the human settlements that might indicate a strong human selection, or the fragmentation of samples. Pollen analyses indicate thermophilous vegetation from the beginning of the Holocene, with increasing values of Fagus and Carpinus. Pollens of cereals indicate human activity, which is also demonstrated by the presence of pollen from Juglans and Vitis in the Iron Age sequence. Extensive forest clearance occurred in the Late Iron Age and the Imperial Period.
Health and Sustainable Development
Authors: Rahman MR
Published: October 2012

J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll, 2011;3 (2): 27-30 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v3i2.12073
Testicular Recovery Effects of Folinic Acid on Cyclophosphamide Induced Damage in Rat
Authors: Afsan Md. , Ahmed AH Hamid , Khalegue Md. Abdul , Nessa Jebum
Published: October 2012

Background: Cyclophosphamide is a cytotoxic drug and used as anti-neoplastic agent. It produces gonadal damage leading to infertility. On the other hand Folinic acid is essential in purine synthesis, prevents DNA beak down and essential for spermatogenesis. Therefore, the present study was designed to observe the recovery role of Folinic acid on Cyclophosphamide induced testicular damage. Objective: To observe the recovery effects of Folinic acid on Cyclophosphamide induced testicular damage in Long Evans rats. Methodology: This experimental study was carried out from July 1998 to June 1999 in the Department of Pharmacology, IPGM & R (Under Dhaka University) Dhaka. Twenty four adult Long Evans male rats were pre-treated with Cyclophosphamide, then divided into two groups (A and B).Group of no drug was compared with Folinic acid treated group in 14 day and 28 days. Cytotoxic damage and recovery was assessed by measuring of body weight, testicular weight and volume and the histological findings likely- number of seminiferous tubules, spermatozoa containing tubules, and mean diameter of seminiferous tubules per microscopic field (10X). Serum Testosterone was estimated by Radio Immunoassay to assess if there any Leydig cell damage of rat testes during Cyclophosphamide treatment. Results: After Cyclophosphamide induced toxicity, treatment with Folinic acid produced significant increased in the histological parameters likely- number of seminiferous tubules, spermatozoa containing tubules and mean diameter of seminiferous tubules in 14 days ( p < 0.001) and 28 days (p <0.05). Conclusion: Folinic acid provides significant recovery effects after cyclophosphamide induced gonadal damage in Long Evans rats. J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll, 2011;3 (2): 31-34 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v3i2.12074
Hepatitis B & C Viral Markers Status in Icteric Children at a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Matin Abdul , Islam Md. Rafiqul , Mridha Md. Al-Amin , Mowla Md. Golam , Khan Rita , Islam Md. Reazul
Published: October 2012

Background: Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause important morbidity and mortality and are major causes of acute and chronic liver disease worldwide.Objectives: This study was an attempt to evaluate the seroprevalence rate of hepatitis B and C in jaundiced children who were admitted at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. This would be helpful to take measure for the prevention of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection in paediatric age group. Methodology: A total of 50 admitted jaundiced children of either sex selected randomly were studied during July 2004 to June 2005 in the Department of Paediatrics of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Venous blood was tested for HBsAg and anti-HBcAb (IgM) and anti-HCV viral markers by ELISA.Results: The HBsAg test was positive among 24.0 %, Anti-HBcAb (IgM) test positive in 14.0 %. HBsAg was positive in 66.66% of male children and 33.33% of female children. Sero positivity was more in the 10 years age group. Conclusion: This study shows high rate of HBsAg and Anti- HBcAb IgM seropositivity among icteric sick children so, further studies with appropriate design & sample size to be conducted. J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll, 2011;3 (2): 35-37 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v3i2.12075
Short Term Versus Long Term Catheterization after Urogenital Prolapse Surgery
Authors: Choudhury Farzana Rabee , Rashid Maliha , Rumana Ratu , Uddin ABM Zakir , Ava Nilufar Nasrin
Published: October 2012

Background: Genital prolapse is a common gynaecological problem in developing country like Bangladesh.Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the advantages of short term catheterization in comparison to long term catheterization after genital prolapse surgery. Methodology: This was a prospective analytical cross sectional study being carried out from 1st July 2005 to 30th July 2006 in the Department of Gynaecology & Obstetrics of Sir Salimullah Medical College & Mitford Hospital. A total of 200 patients undergoing genital prolapse surgery were selected for this study. Patients were divided into two groups. In short term catheterization group the urinary catheter was withdrawal within one day after surgery and in the short term catheterization group the catheter was remained in situ for 5 days after surgery. Result: Positive urine culture was found in 16% in long term catheterization group compared with 6% in short term group (P=0.02). Mean duration of hospital stay was 6.98 days in long term catheterization group and 4.68 days in short term catheterization group (P<0.01). Residual volume was more than 200 ml and need for re-catheterization occurred in 3% in group whereas it was 10% in case group (P=0.04). Conclusion: This study permits to conclude that short term catheterization is better than long term catheterization. J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll, 2011;3 (2): 41-43 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v3i2.12077
Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR)-A Simple Ventilatory Lung Function Test
Authors: Mrindha Md. Al-Amin , Amin Md. Ruhul , Kabir ARM Luthful
Published: October 2012

Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is the maximal expiratory flow rate sustained by a subject for at least 10 milliseconds expressed in Litre per minute (L/min). PEFR is a simple, reliable, reproducible and easily measurable ventilatory lung function test. This simple test had been measured by various types and shapes of instruments for long since, now mini- Wright peak flow meter is widely used to measure the of PEFR values. Mini-Wright peak flow meter is cheap, easily portable and reproducible device for PEFR even below the age 5 years. Different countries use their own nomogram or prediction equation to find out mean PEFR values of particular height. Similarly, the prediction equation for calculation of PEFR values of Bangladeshi boys and girls are 5.96XHeight-495 and 5.70XHeight-479 respectively. Peak expiratory flow rate is very useful tool for diagnosis, management and follow up of reversible airway diseases. J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll, 2011;3 (2): 44-47 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v3i2.12078
Ebstein's anomaly repair in infant and adult: Report of two cases
Authors: Kabir Jahangir , Rima Rezoana , Khatoon Soofia , Hassan Rezaul , Hossain Md. Zakir
Published: October 2012

Ebstein's anomaly (EA) is a rare but fascinating congenital heart disorder accounting for <1% of all congenital heart defects. It is a complex congenital anomaly with a broad pathologic-anatomical and clinical spectrum and no two patients are alike. Moderate to severe Ebstein's malformation remains a surgical challenge. We report our institutional experience with the surgical management of Ebstein's anomaly in a severely symptomatic four months old infant and a twenty year old grown up adult. The young infant with Ebstein's anomaly had severe tricuspid valve dysplasia, cyanosis, and gross cardiomegaly, hepatomegaly. Echocardiography severity score was 1.1 in infant (grade 3/4). Repair consisted of tricuspid valve repair, reduction annuloplasty, partial closure of atrial septal defect, and correction of all associated cardiac defects (PDA ligation).Adult Ebstein's anomaly patient underwent One and half ventricle repair which includes De-Vega repair of tricuspid valve, plication of atrialized RV , closure of ASD and a bidirectional Glenn shunt as part of the repair. The postoperative course was uneventful in adult patient except mild RV diastolic dysfunction. The infant required prolonged mechanical ventilatory support. She also developed lungs collapse-consolidation following extubation and septicaemia. At 2 years follow-up both patients showed improved exercise tolerance, infant showed significant weight gain. Echocardiographic studies reveal satisfactory monocusp valve function in both patients, with mild non- coaptation of the anterior leaflet and the septal structures with mild tricuspid valve regurgitation. Ebstein's repair has a good functional and hemodynamic outcome in infant and adult patients. One and one-half ventricular repair can be performed with an acceptable risk in adult and a biventricular repair is feasible and safe in a symptomatic infant. J Shaheed Suhrawardy Med Coll, 2011;3 (2): 48-52 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jssmc.v3i2.12079
Promiscuity of the Euonymus Carbohydrate-Binding Domain
Authors: Fouquaert Elke , Van Damme Els J.M.
Published: October 2012

Plants synthesize small amounts of carbohydrate-binding proteins on exposure to stress. For example, on exposure to drought, high salt, wounding and by treatment with some plant hormones or by pathogen attack. In contrast to the ‘classical’ plant lectins that are mostly located in the vacuolar compartment, this new class of inducible lectins is present in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. Taking into account that any physiological role of plant lectins most likely relies on their specific carbohydrate-binding activity and specificity, the discovery of these stress-related lectins provides strong evidence for the importance of protein-carbohydrate-interactions in plant cells. Hitherto, six families of such nucleocytoplasmic lectins have been identified in plants. This review will focus on the nucleocytoplasmic lectins with one or more Euonymus lectin (EUL) domain(s). The carbohydrate-binding specificity of EUL proteins from a monocot, a dicot and a lower plant has been compared. Furthermore, modeling of the different EUL domains revealed a similar ß-trefoil fold consisting of three bundles of ß-sheet organized around a pseudo three-fold symmetry axis. Despite the sequence similarity and the conserved amino acids in the binding site, glycan array analyses showed that the EUL domain has a promiscuous carbohydrate-binding site capable of accommodating high mannose N-glycans, blood group B related structures and galactosylated epitopes.
Water-Soluble Electrospun Nanofibers as a Method for On-Chip Reagent Storage
Authors: Dai Minhui , Jin Shengquan , Nugen Sam R.
Published: October 2012

This work demonstrates the ability to electrospin reagents into water-soluble nanofibers resulting in a stable on-chip enzyme storage format. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers were spun with incorporation of the enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the spun nanofibers was used to confirm the non-woven structure which had an average diameter of 155 ± 34 nm. The HRP containing fibers were tested for their change in activity following electrospinning and during storage. A colorimetric assay was used to characterize the activity of HRP by reaction with the nanofiber mats in a microtiter plate and monitoring the change in absorption over time. Immediately following electrospinning, the activity peak for the HRP decreased by approximately 20%. After a storage study over 280 days, 40% of the activity remained. In addition to activity, the fibers were observed to solubilize in the microfluidic chamber. The chromogenic 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine solution reacted immediately with the fibers as they passed through a microfluidic channel. The ability to store enzymes and other reagents on-chip in a rapidly dispersible format could reduce the assay steps required of an operator to perform.
Quantum Theory, Namely the Pure and Reversible Theory of Information
Authors: Chiribella Giulio , D’Ariano Giacomo Mauro , Perinotti Paolo
Published: October 2012

After more than a century since its birth, Quantum Theory still eludes our understanding. If asked to describe it, we have to resort to abstract and ad hoc principles about complex Hilbert spaces. How is it possible that a fundamental physical theory cannot be described using the ordinary language of Physics? Here we offer a contribution to the problem from the angle of Quantum Information, providing a short non-technical presentation of a recent derivation of Quantum Theory from information-theoretic principles. The broad picture emerging from the principles is that Quantum Theory is the only standard theory of information that is compatible with the purity and reversibility of physical processes.