bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electron microscopy: from 2D to 3D images with special reference to muscle
Authors: Franzini-Armstrong Clara
Published: November 2015

This is a brief and necessarily very sketchy presentation of the evolution in electron microscopy (EM) imaging that was driven by the necessity of extracting 3-D views from the essentially 2-D images produced by the electron beam. The lens design of standard transmission electron microscope has not been greatly altered since its inception. However, technical advances in specimen preparation, image collection and analysis gradually induced an astounding progression over a period of about 50 years. From the early images that redefined tissues, cell and cell organelles at the sub-micron level, to the current nano-resolution reconstructions of organelles and proteins the step is very large. The review is written by an investigator who has followed the field for many years, but often from the sidelines, and with great wonder. Her interest in muscle ultrastructure colors the writing. More specific detailed reviews are presented in this issue.
Low-amplitude craniofacial EMG power spectral density and 3D muscle reconstruction from MRI
Authors: Wiedemann Lukas , Chaberova Jana , Edmunds Kyle , Einarsdóttir Guðrún , Ramon Ceon , Gargiulo Paolo
Published: November 2015

Improving EEG signal interpretation, specificity, and sensitivity is a primary focus of many current investigations, and the successful application of EEG signal processing methods requires a detailed knowledge of both the topography and frequency spectra of low-amplitude, high-frequency craniofacial EMG. This information remains limited in clinical research, and as such, there is no known reliable technique for the removal of these artifacts from EEG data. The results presented herein outline a preliminary investigation of craniofacial EMG high-frequency spectra and 3D MRI segmentation that offers insight into the development of an anatomically-realistic model for characterizing these effects. The data presented highlights the potential for confounding signal contribution from around 60 to 200 Hz, when observed in frequency space, from both low and high-amplitude EMG signals. This range directly overlaps that of both low γ (30-50 Hz) and high γ (50-80 Hz) waves, as defined traditionally in standatrd EEG measurements, and mainly with waves presented in dense-array EEG recordings. Likewise, average EMG amplitude comparisons from each condition highlights the similarities in signal contribution of low-activity muscular movements and resting, control conditions. In addition to the FFT analysis performed, 3D segmentation and reconstruction of the craniofacial muscles whose EMG signals were measured was successful. This recapitulation of the relevant EMG morphology is a crucial first step in developing an anatomical model for the isolation and removal of confounding low-amplitude craniofacial EMG signals from EEG data. Such a model may be eventually applied in a clinical setting to ultimately help to extend the use of EEG in various clinical roles.
CIR-Myo News: Abstracts of the 2015 Spring Padua Muscle Days
Authors: Editors The
Published: November 2015

Not available.
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation for mobility support of elderly
Authors: Mayr Winfried
Published: November 2015

The stimulator for neuromuscular electrical stimulation for mobility support of elderly is not very complicated, but for application within "MOBIL" we have some additional demands to fulfill. First we have specific safety issues for this user group. A powerful compliance management system is crucial not only to guide daily application, but for creating hard data for the scientific outcome. We also need to assure easy handling of the stimulator, because the subjects are generally not able to cope with too difficult and complex motor skills. So, we developed five generations of stimulators and optimizing solutions after field tests. We are already planning the sixth generation with wireless control of the stimulation units by the central main handheld control unit. In a prototype, we have implemented a newly available high capacity memory, a breakthrough in “compliance data storage” as they offer the necessary high storage capacity and fast data handling for an affordable prize. The circuit also contains a 3D accelerometer sensor which acts as a further important safety features: if the control unit drops, this event is detected automatically by the sensor and activates an emergency switch-off that disables the stimulation to avoid associated risks. Further, we have implemented a hardware emergence shutdown and other safety measures. Finally, in the last example muscle torque measurements are referenced with compliance data. In the study normalized maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and maximum stimulation induced contraction (MSC) were assessed in regular check-ups along the training period. With additional consideration of adjusted stimulation intensity for training out of the compliance data records we are able to estimate the induced contraction strength, which turned out to amount in average 11% of MVC. This value may seem on a first sight rather low, and ought to be considered in relation to the results at the end of the training period. Therefore the correlation between normalized MVC and normalized MSC was calculated. It is obvious that MVC can increase to strongly variable extent (3 to 65 %), but in few cases also decrease (-4 to 15 %) over the study period. The correlation suggests that an increase of roughly 1 % of normalized MSC can lead to an increase of about 10 % in MVC in the given training conditions. Overall, we can say that we have a stimulator that has turned out to work sufficiently. The most important feature is the integrated compliance recording because this is very useful for interpretation of the study outcome. The electrical stimulation training has shown that even with relatively small induced contraction intensity we still get some increase in the achievable voluntary extension torque.
Estimating malaria burden in Nigeria: a geostatistical modelling approach
Authors: Onyiri Nnadozie
Published: November 2015

This study has produced a map of malaria prevalence in Nigeria based on available data from the Mapping Malaria Risk in Africa (MARA) database, including all malaria prevalence surveys in Nigeria that could be geolocated, as well as data collected during fieldwork in Nigeria between March and June 2007. Logistic regression was fitted to malaria prevalence to identify significant demographic (age) and environmental covariates in STATA. The following environmental covariates were included in the spatial model: the normalized difference vegetation index, the enhanced vegetation index, the leaf area index, the land surface temperature for day and night, land use/landcover (LULC), distance to water bodies, and rainfall. The spatial model created suggests that the two main environmental covariates correlating with malaria presence were land surface temperature for day and rainfall. It was also found that malaria prevalence increased with distance to water bodies up to 4 km. The malaria risk map estimated from the spatial model shows that malaria prevalence in Nigeria varies from 20% in certain areas to 70% in others. The highest prevalence rates were found in the Niger Delta states of Rivers and Bayelsa, the areas surrounding the confluence of the rivers Niger and Benue, and also isolated parts of the north-eastern and north-western parts of the country. Isolated patches of low malaria prevalence were found to be scattered around the country with northern Nigeria having more such areas than the rest of the country. Nigeria’s belt of middle regions generally has malaria prevalence of 40% and above.
A review of spatial technologies with applications for malaria transmission modelling and control in Africa
Authors: Gebreslasie Michael T.
Published: November 2015

Spatial technologies, i.e. geographic information systems, remote sensing, and global positioning systems, offer an opportunity for rapid assessment of malaria endemic areas. These technologies coupled with prevalence/incidence data can provide reliable estimates of population at risk, predict disease distributions in areas that lack baseline data and provide guidance for intervention strategies, so that scarce resources can be allocated in a cost-effective manner. This review focuses on the spatial technology applications that have been used in epidemiology and control of malaria in Africa. Peer-reviewed papers identified through a PubMed search using the following keywords: geospatial technology OR Geographic Information Systems OR Remote Sensing OR Earth Observation OR Global Positioning Systems OR geospatial modelling OR malaria incidence OR malaria prevalence OR malaria risk prediction OR malaria mapping AND malaria AND Africa were used. These included mapping malaria incidence and prevalence, assessing the relationship between malaria and environmental variables as well as applications for malaria early warning systems. The potential of new spatial technology applications utilising emerging satellite information, as they hold promise to further enhance infectious risk mapping and disease prediction, are outlined. We stress current research needs to overcome some of the remaining challenges of spatial technology applications for malaria so that further and sustainable progress can be made to control and eliminate this disease.
Spatial access disparities to primary health care in rural and remote Australia
Authors: McGrail Matthew Richard , Humphreys John Stirling
Published: November 2015

Poor spatial access to health care remains a key issue for rural populations worldwide. Whilst geographic information systems (GIS) have enabled the development of more sophisticated access measures, they are yet to be adopted into health policy and workforce planning. This paper provides and tests a new national-level approach to measuring primary health care (PHC) access for rural Australia, suitable for use in macro-level health policy. The new index was constructed using a modified two-step floating catchment area method framework and the smallest available geographic unit. Primary health care spatial access was operationalised using three broad components: availability of PHC (general practitioner) services; proximity of populations to PHC services; and PHC needs of the population. Data used in its measurement were specifically chosen for accuracy, reliability and ongoing availability for small areas. The resultant index reveals spatial disparities of access to PHC across rural Australia. While generally more remote areas experienced poorer access than more populated rural areas, there were numerous exceptions to this generalisation, with some rural areas close to metropolitan areas having very poor access and some increasingly remote areas having relatively good access. This new index provides a geographically-sensitive measure of access, which is readily updateable and enables a fine granulation of access disparities. Such an index can underpin national rural health programmes and policies designed to improve rural workforce recruitment and retention, and, importantly, health service planning and resource allocation decisions designed to improve equity of PHC access.
Space-time clustering characteristics of dengue based on ecological, socio-economic and demographic factors in northern Sri Lanka
Authors: Anno Sumiko , Imaoka Keiji , Tadono Takeo , Igarashi Tamotsu , Sivaganesh Subramaniam , Kannathasan Selvam , Kumaran Vaithehi , Surendran Sinnathamby Noble
Published: November 2015

The aim of the present study was to identify geographical areas and time periods of potential clusters of dengue cases based on ecological, socio-economic and demographic factors in northern Sri Lanka from January 2010 to December 2013. Remote sensing (RS) was used to develop an index comprising rainfall, humidity and temperature data. Remote sensing data gathered by the AVNIR-2 instrument onboard the ALOS satellite were used to detect urbanisation, and a digital land cover map was used to extract land cover information. Other data on relevant factors and dengue outbreaks were collected through institutions and extant databases. The analysed RS data and databases were integrated into a geographical information system (GIS) enabling space-time clustering analysis. Our results indicate that increases in the number of combinations of ecological, socio-economic and demographic factors that are present or above the average contribute to significantly high rates of space-time dengue clusters. The spatio-temporal association that consolidates the two kinds of associations into one can ensure a more stable model for forecasting. An integrated spatiotemporal prediction model at a smaller level using ecological, socioeconomic and demographic factors could lead to substantial improvements in dengue control and prevention by allocating the right resources to the appropriate places at the right time.
Metropolitan urban hotspots of chronic sleep deprivation: evidence from a community health survey in Gyeongbuk Province, South Korea
Authors: Um Sun-Bi , Um Jung-Sup
Published: November 2015

The geographic concentration of chronic sleep deprivation (CSD) remains largely unexplored. This paper examined the community-specific spatial pattern of the prevalence of CSD and the presence of clustered spatial hotspots among the Korean elderly population in Gyeongbuk Province, South Korea, revealing CSD hotspots and underscoring the importance of geography-focused prevention strategies. The study analysed cross-sectional data collected from 9847 elderly individuals aged 60 years and older who participated in a Korean Community Health Survey conducted in 2012. To assess the level of spatial dependence, an exploratory spatial data analysis was conducted using Global Moran’s I statistic and the local indicator of spatial association. The results revealed marked geographic variations in CSD prevalence ranging from 33.4 to 73.4%, with higher values in the metropolitan urban areas and lower in the rural areas. Almost half of the community residents [both men (44.1%) and women (53.5%)] slept 6 h or less per 24 h. The average CSD prevalence (53.6% men and 65.1% women) in the hotspots was about 13.0% higher than that in other areas (42.6% for men and 51.1% for women). To our knowledge, this is the first study to generate a CSD hotspot map that includes data on sleep deprivation across metropolitan district levels. This study demonstrates that not only is sleep deprivation distributed differentially across communities but these differences may be explained by urbanisation.
Varenicline and evaluated outcomes in smoking cessation programmes
Authors: Santus P. , Bassi L. , Airoldi A. , Giovannelli F. , Radovanovic D.
Published: November 2015

The morbidity and mortality rates attributed to smoking are substantial and cigarette smoke remains the first preventable cause of premature death worldwide. Despite the knowledge of the adverse consequences of smoking, many smokers struggle to quit. Cigarette smoking is the primary cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and smoking cessation represents the most effective way of stopping its progression. Varenicline is one of the first-line smoking cessation aids recommended in many Clinical Practice Guidelines and its efficacy and safety have been demonstrated in several clinical trials. Varenicline has a unique mechanism of action and clinical trials support its use as an effective and generally well-tolerated therapy. This article reviews the clinical pharmacological trials on smoking cessation published in recent years on varenicline, with particular attention to the outcomes used in the studies. MedLine, the Cochrane database and Embase were evaluated. Almost all the trials have, as a primary endpoint, the abstinence from cigarettes at 9-12 weeks of treatment. Only one study considers lung function spirometric changes as a secondary endpoint. No study has evaluated lung function. This marker could be very important as a way of evaluating, objectively, an improvement in lung function, which correlates also with subjective parameters, as dyspnea and fatigue.
Impacts of fire and grazing management on South Africa’s moist highland grasslands: A case study of the Steenkampsberg Plateau, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Authors: Little Ian T. , Hockey† Philip A.R. , Jansen Raymond
Published: November 2015

Background: Grasslands are heavily utilised for livestock agriculture and the resultant degradation through mismanagement contributes to an estimated 60% of this biome being permanently transformed. This study focused on the impact of fire and grazing in moist highland grasslands.Objectives: To determine the contribution of burning frequency and grazing intensity combined (for domestic livestock and indigenous ungulates) on vegetation structure heterogeneity and species diversity.Methods: Eight study sites under different management regimes were sampled over two summers. Vegetation structure characteristics and diversity data were collected monthly within multiple replicates in each study site. A disc pasture meter was used to assess standing biomass. Differences in vegetation structure characteristics, plant community composition and plant species assemblage structure across sites were statistically analysed using analyses of variance, indicator species analyses, multidimensional scaling ordinations and two-way cluster analyses.Results: The combination of heavy grazing and annual burning leads to a distinct plant community dominated by disturbance specialist species. Selective grazing by indigenous herbivores promotes a community of unpalatable species. This study illustrates that fenced indigenous herbivores, even at moderate stocking densities, have a greater detrimental impact on plant diversity and structure than do domestic livestock.Conclusion: Intensive grazing and burning have a detrimental impact on plant species diversity and structure. This also affects resultant palatability for grazing livestock and fenced game. To promote both grazing quality and ecological integrity we recommend a minimum sustainable ‘fodder capacity’ or standing phytomass of 5000 kg per large-animal unit per hectare for domestic livestock in moist highland grasslands.
Tele-Economics in MTC: what numbers would not show
Authors: Laya Andres , Ghanbari Amirhossein , Markendahl Jan
Published: November 2015

This paper elaborates on the relevance of Tele-Economic research to understand the effect that Machine-Type Commu- nications (MTC) has on different markets and also the market forces affecting the adoption of services based on MTC. The paper is presented in a tutorial form, offering concept and definitions of economic terms that are gaining relevance in the technical community in the MTC context. The concept of services is further analysed in as a change in the tele- communication industry mind-set in order to tap into the economic value of MTC in the realization of the Internet-of- Things. Finally, insights are presented looking forward into the relevance of Tele-Economic research for 5G.
Platforms and Protocols for the Internet of Things
Authors: Pielli Chiara , Zucchetto Daniel , Andrea Zanella Andrea , Vangelista Lorenzo , Zorzi Michele
Published: November 2015

Building a general architecture for the Internet of Things (IoT) is a very complex task, exacerbated by the extremely large variety of devices, link layer technologies, and services that may be involved in such a system. In this paper, we identify the main blocks of a generic IoT architecture, describing their features and requirements, and analyze the most common approaches proposed in the literature for each block. In particular, we compare three of the most important communication technologies for IoT purposes, i.e., REST, MQTT, and AMQP, and we also analyze three IoT platforms: openHAB, Sentilo, and Parse. The analysis will prove the importance of adopting an integrated approach that jointly addresses several issues and is able to flexibly accommodate the requirements of the various elements of the system. We also discuss a use case which illustrates the design challenges and the choices to make when selecting which protocols and technologies to use.
La Variante infinitésimale de la formule des traces de Jacquet-Rallis pour les groupes
unitaires
Authors: Zydor Michał
Published: November 2015

Nous établissons une variante infinitésimale de la formule des traces de Jacquet-Rallis pour les groupes unitaires. Notre formule s’obtient par intégration d'un noyau tronqué á la Arthur. Elle posséde un côté géométrique qui est une somme de distributions Jo indexée par les classes d'éléments de l'ébre de Lie de U(n + 1) stables par U(n)-conjugaison ainsi qu'un “côté spectral” formé des transformées de Fourier des distributions précédentes. On démontre que les distributions Jo sont invariantes et ne dépendent que du choix de lamesure deHaar sur U(n)(𝔸). Pour des classes o semi-simples réguliéres, Jo est une intégrale orbitale relative de Jacquet-Rallis. Pour les classes o dites relativement semi-simples régulières, on exprime Jo en terme des intégrales orbitales relatives régularisées á l'aide des fonctions zêta.
Преобразования Пуассона и Фурье для тензорных произведений
Authors: Molchanov Vladimir Fedorovich
Published: November 2015

Для группы $G=\operatorname{SL}(2,\mathbb{R})$ мы выписываем в явном виде дифференциальные операторы, сплетающие неприводимые конечномерные представления $T_k$ группы $G$ с тензорными произведениями $T_{l}\otimes T_{m}$ (преобразования Пуассона и Фурье), указываем некоторый аналог гармонического анализа и приводим явные формулы для композиций этих преобразований с операторами Ли надгруппы $G\times G$. Эти построения основаны на дифференциально-разностном соотношении для ядра Пуассона.
Currency regime crises, real wages, functional income distribution and production*
Authors: Brancaccio Emiliano , Garbellini Nadia
Published: November 2015

This study examines 28 selected cases of transition from a fixed to a more flexible exchange rate combined with devaluation over the period 1980–2013. The crises examined generally prove to be significantly correlated to a reduction in real wages and the wage share. However, both groups are also characterised by an important degree of variability with respect to sample averages, which suggests that the dynamics of real wages and wage shares were also influenced by the specific institutional and political environments in which such crises and devaluations took place. Finally, there appear to be no adequate empirical grounds for the claim that a decrease in real wages resulting from a currency regime crisis will result in improved levels of production and employment. All evaluations of the links between the currency regime and the dynamics of wages and distribution should in any case be carried out not in abstract terms but by comparing the possible implications of abandoning the regime with those of maintaining it. The opportunity of a comparative analysis also applies to the study of current episodes, such as the eurozone crisis.
Tethered technologies, cloud strategies and the future of the first sale/exhaustion defence in copyright law*
Authors: Graber Christoph B
Published: November 2015

With tethered technologies permitting the monitoring of consumers’ use of copyrighted works and private copyright enforcement, IP protected digital works are increasingly disseminated solely through access-based schemes. This article reviews the actual and potential implications of this development in light of consumer autonomies and copyright doctrine. It specifically evaluates the courts’ opposing views in the European Union and the United States on the matter, drawing attention to the need to radically rethink the application of the first sale/exhaustion principle for the distribution of digital content, and proposes a novel approach balancing individual and social interests at a broader scale.
A novel method of IP R&D using patent analysis and expert survey
Authors: Jun Sunghae , Lee Seung-Joo , Ryu Jea-Bok , Park Sangsung
Published: November 2015

Intellectual property research and development (IP R&D) is an essential condition in order to be more competitive in the rapidly changing global market environment. The ultimate objective of IP R&D is technology forecasting. Technology forecasting (TF) attempts to discover the future state of a technology. Many quantitative and qualitative TF-related research efforts currently exist. Expert survey is a qualitative forecasting method; expert survey technology forecasting (ESTF) is one of many TF methods. The goal of ESTF is to predict the future state of a target technology using expert survey. Although ESTF has many advantages, it is less stable than other quantitative TF methods such as patent analysis because ESTF is subjectively based on the knowledge of experts. It is obvious that quantitative approaches such as patent analysis also have limitations. One of these limitations is the need for the experience of domain experts for the interpretation of patent analysis results. In this paper we propose a patent analysis approach that improves the performance of ESTF. Our approach combines patent analysis with the expert survey forecasting method to improve the predictive effectiveness of ESTF. The efficacy of our approach is demonstrated by means of a case study involving TF work related to web survey technology.
Having a patent department alone cannot constitute a specific intent to cause direct infringement under US patent law
Authors: Chen Ping-Hsun
Published: November 2015

The United States patent law imposes a liability on a person who actively induces others to infringe a patent. Infringement based on ‘active inducement’ requires an infringer to know the patent-in-suit. In 2008, Apeldyn Corp. (‘Apeldyn’) sued AU Optronics Corp. (‘AUO’) for patent infringement. In 2011, AUO filed a summary judgment motion and won the issue of active inducement. Apeldyn relied on a 2011 decision of the Supreme Court of United States, Global-Tech Appliances, Inc. v SEB S.A., to assert that AUO willfully blinded itself from knowing the patent-in-suit. Apeldyn asserted that AUO's patent department should have monitored competitors’ patents. However, the district court disagreed. Under Global-Tech Appliances, Inc., an infringer under active inducement must have a culpable mind to encourage or assist others to infringe a patent. Merely knowing a risk of patent infringement is not enough. So, the fact that AUO had a big patent department at most proves that AUO was reckless or negligent. The implication is that a company with a patent department does not have a duty to discover competitors’ patents that it might infringe. However, this implication is limited to a scenario where a company does not study competitors’ products.
Scaling and Root Planning decreases the Number of Melanosomes within Keratinocytes in Human Gingiva: Ultrastructural Analysis of Three Cases
Authors: Alves Claudia Maria Coelho , Imbronito Ana Vitoria , Lotufo Roberto Fraga Moreira , Arana-Chavez Victor Elias
Published: November 2015

Aim

The aim of the present report was to evaluate the number of melanosomes within keratinocytes on pigmented gingiva, after and before scaling and root planning.

Materials and methods

Inflamed gingiva biopsies were taken from three patients (group 1). Forty days after scaling and root planning, biopsies were collected from the homologous contralateral areas (group 2). Samples were fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde—2.5% formaldehyde (freshly prepared from paraformaldehyde) in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer, pH 7.4 for 4 hours, and then processed for transmission electron microscopy. Eighty electron micrographs were evaluated for recording the number of granules by a cross-section grid. The granules that were on intersections were recorded as well as the points that appeared on the cytoplasm for calculating the volumetric density (Vd), i.e the volume that the melanosomes occupied into the cytoplasm of keratinocytes. The presence of melanosomes in different stages of maturation and distribution into the cells were recorded with the aid of a magnifying glass. For the statistical analysis, a student t-test was applied.

Results

Results of the present report showed that melanosomes within keratinocytes were present in a higher number in inflamed gingiva A (11.08 ± 1.47), B (3.16 ± 0.38) and C (4.92 ± 0.89) and decreased after resolving of gingival inflammation A (9.46 ± 0.88), B (1.73 ± 0.25) and C (0.76 ± 0.18).

Conclusion

There is a possibility that inflammation influences the intensity of gingival melanin pigmentation.

Clinical significance

The periodontal treatment appears to have an effect on gingival melanin pigmentation.

How to cite this article

Alves CMC, Imbronito AV, Lotufo RFM, Arana-Chavez VE. Scaling and Root Planning decreases the Number of Melanosomes within Keratinocytes in Human Gingiva: Ultrastructural Analysis of three Cases. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(7):537-541.
Effect of Chlorhexidine and Ethanol Application on Longterm Push-out Bond Strength of Fiber Posts to Dentin
Authors: Basting Roberta Tarkany , Turssi Cecília Pedroso , Amaral Flavia Lucisano Botelho do , França Fabiana Mantovani Gomes , Vaneli Rafaela Crystyan , de Melo Conti Carolina
Published: November 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chlorhexidine and ethanol application on the push-out bond strength and bond durability of fiber posts cemented with an etch-and-rinse adhesive system/resin cement to intraradicular dentin.

Materials and methods

Fifty-four bovine roots were shaped for the cementation of a fiberglass post and received the application of 37% phosphoric acid. They were then randomly divided into three groups, according to the type of dentin treatment (n = 18) performed: no treatment (control group), 100% ethanol, or 2% chlorhexidine. Next, the adhesive system (Adper Scotch Bond Multipurpose Plus, 3M ESPE) was applied to the dentin, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Glass fiber posts were cemented with dual resin cement (Rely X ARC, 3M ESPE). After 48 hours, the specimens were serially sectioned for push-out test analysis, providing two slices from each root third (cervical, medium and apical), one of which was tested immediately and the other stored in distilled water for 180 days. The data were analyzed with three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures and Tukey's test at a 5% significance level.

Results

Intraradicular treatment with chlorhexidine yielded the highest bond strength means, followed by ethanol treatment. The control group presented the lowest bond strength means. Water storage exerted no effect on bond strength values.

Conclusion

Both chlorhexidine and ethanol improved push-out bond strength to intraradicular dentin, with the former providing the best results, regardless of the storage time.

Clinical significance

The application of 2% chlorhexidine or 100% ethanol may be an important step that can be taken to enhance bond strength of fiber posts to intraradicular dentin, when dual resin cements are used.

How to cite this article

França FMG, Vaneli RC, de Melo Conti C, Basting RT, do Amaral FLB, Turssi CP. Effect of Chlorhexidine and Ethanol Application on Long-term Pushout Bond Strength of Fiber Posts to Dentin. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(7):547-553.
Color Stability and Surface Roughness of Composite submitted to Different Types and Periods of Finishing/Polishing: Physical Properties of Composites
Authors: de Morais Renata Costa , Garcia Lucas da Fonseca Roberti , Cruvinel Diogo Rodrigues , Pires-de-Souza Fernanda de Carvalho Panzeri
Published: November 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of accelerated artificial aging (AAA) on color stability (ΔE) and surface roughness of composite submitted to different systems and periods of finishing/polishing.

Materials and methods

A Teflon matrix was used to fabricate 60 specimens that were separated into four groups, according to the finishing/polishing system: G1: no polishing; G2: abrasive papers; G3: rubber polishing disks; and G4: G2 + G3. Polishing was performed at three different time intervals (n = 6): immediately (Im), 24 hours (24 hours) and 7 days (7 day) after specimen fabrication. Initial color and surface roughness readouts were taken. Afterwards, specimens were submitted to AAA (480 hours) and new readouts were taken.

Results

Results demonstrated that G2 (7 day) presented lower ΔE, statistically different from G1 and G4 (7 days) (two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Bonferroni, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Regarding roughness, there was no difference among groups and periods. Polishing performed with abrasive papers, 7 days after performing the restoration, promoted less color alteration.

Clinical significance

Most of composite restorations are replaced within a period shorter than 5 years due to esthetic failure, and correct finishing and polishing procedures are fundamental to avoid these problems.

How to cite this article

de Morais RC, da Fonseca Roberti Garcia L, Cruvinel DR, Pires-de-Souza FCP. Color Stability and Surface Roughness of Composite submitted to Different Types and Periods of Finishing/Polishing: Physical Properties of Composites. J Contemp Dent Pract 2015;16(7):565-570.
SNP analysis reveals estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene variants associated with laying traits in quails
Authors: Wu Y. , Pan A. L. , Pi J. S. , Pu Y. J. , Du J. P. , Liang Z. H. , Shen J.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. In this study, the estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) gene was studied as a candidate gene for laying traits of two quail populations (the yellow-feather quail and chestnut-feather quail). Five pairs of primers were designed to detect single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of exon 1, 2, 4, 8 and intron 1 of the ESR1 gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and sequencing methods. Only the products amplified from exon 8 displayed polymorphism. The results showed one novel variation: a variation in exon 8 of ESR1 gene (g.91C > T, KC977991 and KC977992). It was associated with some laying traits in two quail populations including egg weight, the age of first egg and egg number at 20 weeks. And the CC genotype was associated with superior egg number at 20 weeks. Therefore, we speculated that the variation in exon 8 of ESR1 gene may have an effect on laying traits in the abovementioned quail populations.
A potential vorticity-based determination of the transport barrier in the Asian summer monsoon anticyclone
Authors: Ploeger F. , Gottschling C. , Griessbach S. , Grooß J.-U. , Guenther G. , Konopka P. , Müller R. , Riese M. , Stroh F. , Tao M. , Ungermann J. , Vogel B. , von Hobe M.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. The Asian summer monsoon provides an important pathway of tropospheric source gases and pollution into the lower stratosphere. This transport is characterized by deep convection and steady upwelling, combined with confinement inside a large-scale anticyclonic circulation in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). In this paper, we show that a barrier to horizontal transport along the 380 K isentrope in the monsoon anticyclone can be determined from a local maximum in the gradient of potential vorticity (PV), following methods developed for the polar vortex (e.g., Nash et al., 1996). The monsoon anticyclone is dynamically highly variable and the maximum in the PV gradient is weak, such that additional constraints are needed (e.g., time averaging). Nevertheless, PV contours in the monsoon anticyclone agree well with contours of trace gas mixing ratios (CO, O3) and mean age from model simulations with a Lagrangian chemistry transport model (CLaMS) and satellite observations from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) instrument. Hence, the PV-based transport barrier reflects the separation between air inside the core of the anticyclone and the background atmosphere well. For the summer season 2011 we find an average PV value of 3.6 PVU for the transport barrier in the anticyclone on the 380 K isentrope.
Reassessment of MIPAS age of air trends and variability
Authors: Haenel F. J. , Stiller G. P. , von Clarmann T. , Funke B. , Eckert E. , Glatthor N. , Grabowski U. , Kellmann S. , Kiefer M. , Linden A. , Reddmann T.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. A new and improved setup of the SF6 retrieval together with a newly calibrated version of MIPAS-ENVISAT level 1b spectra (version 5, ESA data version 5.02/5.06) was used to obtain a new global SF6 data set, covering the total observational period of MIPAS from July 2002 to April 2012 for the first time. Monthly and zonally averaged SF6 profiles were converted into mean age of air using a tropospheric SF6-reference curve. The obtained data set of age of air was compared to airborne age of air measurements. The temporal evolution of the mean age of air was then investigated in 10° latitude and 1–2 km altitude bins. A regression model consisting of a constant and a linear trend term, two proxies for the quasi-biennial oscillation variation, sinusoidal terms for the seasonal and semiannual variation and overtones was fitted to the age of air time series. The annual cycle for particular regions in the stratosphere was investigated and compared to other studies. The age of air trend over the total MIPAS period consisting of the linear term was assessed and compared to previous findings of Stiller et al. (2012). While the linear increase of mean age is confirmed to be positive for the northern midlatitudes and southern polar middle stratosphere, differences are found in the northern polar upper stratosphere, where the mean age is now found to increase as well. The magnitude of trends in the northern midlatitude middle stratosphere is slightly lower compared to the previous version and the trends fit remarkably well to the trend derived by Engel et al. (2009). Negative age of air trends found by Stiller et al. (2012) are confirmed for the lowermost tropical stratosphere and lowermost southern midlatitudinal stratosphere. Differences to the previous data versions occur in the middle tropical stratosphere around 25 km, where the trends are now negative. Overall, the new latitude–altitude distribution of trends appears to be less patchy and more coherent than the previous one. The new data provide evidence of an accelerating shallow branch of the Brewer–Dobson circulation, at least in the Southern Hemisphere. Finally the age of air decadal trends are compared to trends calculated with simulated SF6 values by the Karlsruhe Simulation Model of the Middle Atmosphere (KASIMA) and good agreement is found. The hemispheric asymmetry in the trends found in the MIPAS data is also indicated in the trends calculated with simulated SF6 values by the KASIMA model.
Composition, size distribution, optical properties, and radiative effects of laboratory-resuspended PM10 from geological dust of the Rome area, by electron microscopy and radiative transfer modelling
Authors: Pietrodangelo A. , Salzano R. , Bassani C. , Pareti S. , Perrino C.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. In this work, new information has been gained on the laboratory-resuspended PM10 fraction from geological topsoil and outcropped rocks representative of the Rome area (Latium). Mineralogical composition, size distribution, optical properties and the surface radiative forcing efficiency (RFE) of dust types representing the compositional end members of this geological area have been addressed. A multi-disciplinary approach was used, based on chamber resuspension of raw materials and sampling of the PM10 fraction, to simulate field sampling at dust source, scanning electron microscopy/X-ray energy-dispersive microanalysis (SEM XEDS) of individual mineral particles, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of bulk dust samples, building of number and volume size distribution (SD) from microanalysis data of mineral particles and fitting to a log-normal curve, and radiative transfer modelling (RTM) to retrieve optical properties and radiative effects of the compositional end-member dust samples. The mineralogical composition of Rome lithogenic PM10 varies between an end-member dominated by silicate minerals (from volcanics lithotypes), and one mostly composed of calcite (from travertine or limestones). Lithogenic PM10 with intermediate composition derives mainly from siliciclastic rocks or marlstones. Size and mineral species of PM10 particles of silicate-dominated dust types are tuned mainly by rock weathering and, to lesser extent, by debris formation or crystallization; chemical precipitation of CaCO3 plays a major role in calcite-dominated types. These differences are reflected in the diversity of volume distributions, either within dust types or mineral species. Differences are also observed between volume distributions of calcite from travertine (natural source; SD unimodal at 5 μm a.d.) and from road dust (anthropic source; SD bimodal at 3.8 and 1.8 μm a.d.). The volcanics and travertine dusts differently affect the single scattering albedo (SSA) and the asymmetry parameter (g) in the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) regions. The downward component of the bottom-of-atmosphere (BOA) solar irradiance simulated by RTM for an atmosphere where only volcanics (or only travertine dust) composes the aerosol, shows that the volcanics contribution to the solar irradiance differs significantly from that of travertine in the NIR region, while similar contributions are modelled in the VIS. The RFE (−293 W m−2 for volcanics and −139 W m−2 for travertine, at 50° solar zenith angle) shows that volcanics dust produces a stronger cooling effect at surface than travertine, as expected for more absorbing aerosols.
Characteristics of aerosol pollution during heavy haze events in Suzhou, China
Authors: Tian M. , Wang H. B. , Chen Y. , Yang F. M. , Zhang X. H. , Zou Q. , Zhang R. Q. , Ma Y. L. , He K. B.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. A comprehensive measurement was carried out to analyze the heavy haze events in Suzhou in January 2013 when extremely severe haze pollution occurred in many cities in China especially in the East. Hourly concentrations of PM2.5, chemical composition (including water-soluble inorganic ions, OC, and EC), and gas-phase precursors were obtained via on-line monitoring system. Based on these data, detailed aerosol composition, light extinction and gas-phase precursors were analyzed to understand the characteristics of the haze events, moreover, the formation mechanism of nitrate and sulfate in PM2.5 and the regional sources deduced from trajectory and PSCF were discussed to explore the origin of the heavy aerosol pollution. The results showed that frequent haze events were occurred on January 2013 and the concentrations of PM2.5 often exceeded 150 μg m-3 during the haze occurrence, with a maximum concentration of 324 μg m-3 on 14 January 2013. Unfavorable weather conditions (high RH, and low rainfall, wind speed and atmospheric pressure), high concentration of secondary aerosol species (including SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, and SOC) and precursors were observed during the haze events. Additionally, OM, (NH4)2SO4, NH4NO3 were demonstrated to be the major contributors to the visibility impairment but the share differed from haze events. This study also found that the high concentration of sulfate might be explained by the heterogeneous reactions in the aqueous surface layer of pre-existing particles or in cloud processes while nitrate might be mainly formed through homogeneous gas-phase reactions. The results of trajectory clustering and the PSCF method manifested that aerosol pollutions in the studied areas were mainly affected by local activities and surrounding sources transported from nearby cities.
Evaluation of hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis methods for discrimination of primary biological aerosol
Authors: Crawford I. , Ruske S. , Topping D. O. , Gallagher M. W.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. In this paper we present improved methods for discriminating and quantifying primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs) by applying hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis to multi-parameter ultraviolet-light-induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) spectrometer data. The methods employed in this study can be applied to data sets in excess of 1 × 106 points on a desktop computer, allowing for each fluorescent particle in a data set to be explicitly clustered. This reduces the potential for misattribution found in subsampling and comparative attribution methods used in previous approaches, improving our capacity to discriminate and quantify PBAP meta-classes. We evaluate the performance of several hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis linkages and data normalisation methods using laboratory samples of known particle types and an ambient data set. Fluorescent and non-fluorescent polystyrene latex spheres were sampled with a Wideband Integrated Bioaerosol Spectrometer (WIBS-4) where the optical size, asymmetry factor and fluorescent measurements were used as inputs to the analysis package. It was found that the Ward linkage with z-score or range normalisation performed best, correctly attributing 98 and 98.1 % of the data points respectively. The best-performing methods were applied to the BEACHON-RoMBAS (Bio–hydro–atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H2O, Organics and Nitrogen–Rocky Mountain Biogenic Aerosol Study) ambient data set, where it was found that the z-score and range normalisation methods yield similar results, with each method producing clusters representative of fungal spores and bacterial aerosol, consistent with previous results. The z-score result was compared to clusters generated with previous approaches (WIBS AnalysiS Program, WASP) where we observe that the subsampling and comparative attribution method employed by WASP results in the overestimation of the fungal spore concentration by a factor of 1.5 and the underestimation of bacterial aerosol concentration by a factor of 5. We suggest that this likely due to errors arising from misattribution due to poor centroid definition and failure to assign particles to a cluster as a result of the subsampling and comparative attribution method employed by WASP. The methods used here allow for the entire fluorescent population of particles to be analysed, yielding an explicit cluster attribution for each particle and improving cluster centroid definition and our capacity to discriminate and quantify PBAP meta-classes compared to previous approaches.
Mercury in coniferous and deciduous upland forests in northern New England, USA: implications of climate change
Authors: Richardson J. B. , Friedland A. J.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. Climatic changes in the northeastern US are expected to cause coniferous stands to transition to deciduous stands over the next hundred years. Mercury (Hg) sequestration in forest soils may change as a result. In order to understand potential effects of such a transition, we studied aboveground vegetation and soils at paired coniferous and deciduous stands on eight mountains in Vermont and New Hampshire, USA. Organic horizons at coniferous stands accumulated more total Hg (THg; 42 ± 6 g ha−1) than deciduous stands (30 ± 4 g ha−1). Total Hg pools in the mineral horizons were similar for coniferous (46 ± 8 g ha−1) and deciduous stands (45 ± 7 g ha−1). Soil properties (C, % clay, and pH) explained 56 % of the variation in mineral soil Hg concentration when multiply regressed. Foliar and bole wood Hg concentrations were generally greater for coniferous species than deciduous species. Using allometric equations, we estimated that aboveground accumulation of Hg in foliage and woody biomass was similar between vegetation types but that coniferous stands have significantly smaller annual litterfall fluxes (0.03 g ha−1 yr−1) than deciduous stands (0.24 g ha−1 yr−1). We conclude that organic horizon Hg accumulation is influenced by vegetation type but mineral horizon Hg accumulation is primarily controlled by soil properties. Further investigations into the effect of vegetation type on volatilization, atmospheric deposition, and leaching rates are needed to constrain regional Hg cycling rates.