Treatment-related renal side-effects in pediatric cancer patients

Background: The long-term side-effects of cancer treatments are of growing importance, since the number of pediatric cancer survivors has considerably increased. Renal side-effects should be noted early to prevent further deterioration. Renal dysfunction may also develop long after cancer treatment. Easy and reliable methods for assessing renal function are needed. Aims: The aims were to find the mechanisms behind methotrexate-induced renal damage by studying renal tubular cells (LLC-PK1cells), and to evaluate the usefulness of laboratory tests in assessing glomerular function in pediatric cancer patients by comparing an isotope clearance method with alternative methods. The aim was also to study the long-term effects of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) treatment in renal function. Results: Methotrexate induced time-dependent renal tubular cell swelling and cell death. In patients treated with HD-MTX a significant decrease in GFR was noted after a follow-up time of one to ten years. One year after BMTthe GFR was reduced, especially in patients treated with total body irradiation (TBI). GFR recovered slightly but remained stable thereafter. In glomerular function assessment the serum cystatin C (cysC) concentration showed a significant association with GFR measured by the isotope method. Conclusions: Methotrexate induced acute damage in renal tubular cells. In assessing GFR the isotope method still remains the method of choice, but the assay of cystatin C was the most reliable of other alternatives. Long-term follow-up of renal function is needed in BMT patients and patients treated with HD-MTX.

Levetiracetam versus Phenobarbital. Effects in the neurodevelopment in newborns treated for neonatal seizures: a clinical trial

Purpose: To analyze if the use of Phenobarbital compared with Levetiracetam, it’s associated with more neurodevelopmental problems in newborns treated for neonatal seizures. As a secondary objective identify which are the most affected areas of the neurodevelopment: cognition, socio-­‐emotional, motor or language skills.Design: A 5 years long clinical trial administering, with double-­‐blind and a randomized distribution of the sample, Phenobarbital or Levetiracetam for the management of neonatal seizures

On the Rule of Mixtures for Predicting Stress-Softening and Residual Strain Effects in Biological Tissues and Biocompatible Materials

In this work, we use the rule of mixtures to develop an equivalent material model in which the total strain energy density is split into the isotropic part related to the matrix component and the anisotropic energy contribution related to the fiber effects. For the isotropic energy part, we select the amended non-Gaussian strain energy density model, while the energy fiber effects are added by considering the equivalent anisotropic volumetric fraction contribution, as well as the isotropized representation form of the eight-chain energy model that accounts for the material anisotropic effects. Furthermore, our proposed material model uses a phenomenological non-monotonous softening function that predicts stress softening effects and has an energy term, derived from the pseudo-elasticity theory, that accounts for residual strain deformations. The model’s theoretical predictions are compared with experimental data collected from human vaginal tissues, mice skin, poly(glycolide-co-caprolactone) (PGC25 3-0) and polypropylene suture materials and tracheal and brain human tissues. In all cases examined here, our equivalent material model closely follows stress-softening and residual strain effects exhibited by experimental data

WOMAN IN CHEMISTRY. JANE MARCET, A RELEVANT FIGURE IN CHEMISTRY EDUCATION

A historiographical study of Jane Marcet’s role in spreading chemistry knowledge to a wider audience in the 19th century is presented here. Her efforts to spread scientific knowledge were crucial to sharing the most important theories of chemistry among different audiences, particularly women and young people. Through her book, “Conversations on Chemistry,” which was published in several editions from 1806 to 1853, she contributed significantly to chemistry education. Despite controversy over the large number of editions, this text is a strong witness to the active participation of women in science. Her scientific rigor and contribution to narrative strategies in chemistry pedagogy have given Jane Marcet consideration not only as an important woman in the scientific community of England during the first half of the 19th century but also as a central figure in the early development of chemistry diffusion and education.

Chemigation with benomyl and fluazinam and their fungicidal effects in soil for white mold control on dry beans

The effectiveness of fungicides in controlling white mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) was evaluated when they were applied through irrigation water directly onto the plants or only to the soil. Two field trials were installed in April 1998 and April 1999 in Viçosa, MG. Trials were conducted as a (2 x 3) + 1 factorial: two fungicides x three application modes + one untreated control. The fungicides were benomyl (1.0 kg a.i. ha-1) and fluazinam (0.5 l a.i. ha-1). The three application modes were: (a) by backpack sprayer (667 l ha-1), (b) by garden watering-cans simulating sprinkler irrigation with 35,000 l ha-1 of water, and (c) by garden watering-cans applying water between the rows and near the soil surface in 35,000 l ha-1 of water. In 1998, fungicides were applied at 43 and 54 days after emergence (DAE); in 1999, at 47 and 61 DAE. Both fungicides were similarly effective on white mold control when applied by either chemigation or backpack sprayer, resulting in yields 21% higher than untreated control. Only fluazinam provided disease control when applications were made only in soil. Chemigation provided white mold control equivalent to that of backpack sprayer in terms of incidence, severity and number of diseased pods. Consequently, yield differences between these application methods were not significant.

Galvanomagnetic effects in InGaAs nanostructure

Investigation of galvanomagnetic effects in nanostructure GaAs/Mn/GaAs/In0.15Ga0.85As/ GaAs is presented. This nanostructure is classified as diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS). Temperature dependence of transverse magnetoresistivity of the sample was studied. The anomalous Hall effect was detected and subtracted from the total Hall component. Special attention was paid to the measurements of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations, which exists only in the case of magnetic field aligned perpendicularly to the plane of the sample. This confirms two-dimensional character of the hole energy spectrum in the quantum well. Such important characteristics as cyclotron mass, the Fermi energy and the Dingle temperature were calculated, using experimental data of Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. The hole concentration and hole mobility in the quantum well also were estimated for the sample. At 4.2 K spin splitting of the maxima of transverse resistivity was observed and g-factor was calculated for that case. The values of the Dingle temperatures were obtained by two different approaches. From the comparison of these values it was concluded that the broadening of Landau levels in the investigated structure is mainly defined by the scattering of charge carriers on the defects of the crystal lattice

KPOW, CHINK, SPLAT: Translations of Sound Effects in Seven Comics

Tämä pro gradu -tutkielma käsittelee äänitehosteiden kääntämistä sarjakuvissa. Tutkimus perustuu seitsemän eri sarjakuvan äänitehosteiden ja niiden suomennoksien vertailuun. Tutkitut tehosteet on kerätty yhdeksi korpukseksi kolmesta Aku Ankka -tarinasta, Tenavat- ja Lassi ja Leevi -stripeistä sekä Batman- ja Vartijat sarjakuvaromaaneista.Sarjakuvat edustavat osittain eri genrejä, jotta saadaan tietoa erityyppisten sarjakuvien mahdollisesti erilaisista käännöskonventioista. Aku Ankka -sarjakuvien määrää on painotettu, jotta olisi mahdollista saada tarkempi kuva yhdestä yksittäisestä sarjakuvasta, jossa oletetaan äänitehosteiden pääsääntöisesti olevan käännettyjä. Äänitehosteita ja äänitehostekäännöksiä tutkitaan kahdesta eri näkökulmasta.Tutkielman ensimmäisessä osassa tarkastellaan äänitehosteissa käytettyjä käännösstrategioita ja etsitään seikkoja, jotka vaikuttavat eri käännösstrategioiden käyttöön ja tehosteiden kääntämiseen tai kääntämättä jättämiseen. Kaindlin (1999) esittelemää sarjakuvien käännösstrategiajaottelua verrataan Celottin (2008) kuvaan upotettuihin teksteihin soveltuviin käännösstrategioihin. Näiden pohjalta muokattua jaottelua käytetään käännösten analysointiin. Korpuksessa yleisimmin käytetyt käännösstrategiat olivat alkutekstin siirtäminen sellaisenaan käännökseen ja kääntäminen suomalaiseksi ilmaisuksi. Jonkin verran esiintyi myös tehosteiden poistoja, siirtämisiä ja jopa lisäyksiä. Paljon muutoksia tapahtui myös esimerkiksi tehosteiden ulkoasussa. Sarjakuvan tyyppi vaikutti oletusten mukaisesti käännösstrategioihin; selvimmin aikuisille suunnatuissa sarjakuvissa paljon tehosteita oli jätetty kääntämättä, kun taas erityisesti Aku Ankoissa tehosteidenkin käännöksiin oli kiinnitetty huomiota. Myös tehosteen sijainti puhekuplassa, kuplan ulkopuolella tai kuvaan upotettuna vaikutti siihen, oliko tehoste käännetty vai ei. Tutkimuksen toisessa osassa äänitehosteet jaotellaan semanttisen sisältönsä mukaan seuraaviin ryhmiin: iskut, rikkoutuminen, räjähdykset ja ampuminen, hankaus, ilmavirta, ruoka ja nesteet, pitkäkestoiset äänet sekä äänenkorkeudeltaan selvästi korkeat ja matalat äänet. Jaotteluperusteina toimivat äänten kuvaamat tapahtumat, äänen syntymiseen osallistuvat materiaalit tai äänitehosteiden itsensä ominaisuudet. Ryhmien esimerkeistä löytyi yhteisiä piirteitä, jotka selittynevät samanlaisten äänten samanlaisella äännesymboliikalla tai samankaltaisilla onomatopoeettisilla piirteillä.

Memory Effects in the Dynamics of Open Quantum Systems

In this Thesis various aspects of memory effects in the dynamics of open quantum systems are studied. We develop a general theoretical framework for open quantum systems beyond the Markov approximation which allows us to investigate different sources of memory effects and to develop methods for harnessing them in order to realise controllable open quantum systems. In the first part of the Thesis a characterisation of non-Markovian dynamics in terms of information flow is developed and applied to study different sources of memory effects. Namely, we study nonlocal memory effects which arise due to initial correlations between two local environments and further the memory effects induced by initial correlations between the open system and the environment. The last part focuses on describing two all-optical experiment in which through selective preparation of the initial environment states the information flow between the system and the environment can be controlled. In the first experiment the system is driven from the Markovian to the non- Markovian regime and the degree of non-Markovianity is determined. In the second experiment we observe the nonlocal nature of the memory effects and provide a novel method to experimentally quantify frequency correlations in photonic environments via polarisation measurements.

Flooding effects in seedlings of Cytharexyllum myrianthum Cham. and Genipa americana L.: responses of two neotropical lowland tree species

Six-month-old seedlings of Cytharexyllum myrianthum and Genipa americana, two common tree species in different flood-prone areas in Brazil, were flooded for up to 90 days to compare their survival and growth responses under these conditions. Seedlings of both species were found to be relatively tolerant to flooding but growth responses changed according to treatment and plant species. Growth of G. americana was reduced by flooding, showing a decrease in root and leaf dry mass, root/shoot ratio and height, without showing any adaptive morphological changes. On the other hand, growth of C. myrianthum seedlings was stimulated under flooding conditions, showing an increase in root dry mass, root/shoot ratio, height, stem diameter and some morphological changes in roots and stems, i.e., development of new roots and stem base hypertrophy. These results could be regarded as an experimental corroboration of the field observations, showing that these species could be indicated for restoration programs of some Neotropical wetlands.

Resonant tunneling effects in semiconductor heterostructures

The thesis is devoted to a theoretical study of resonant tunneling phenomena in semiconductor heterostructures and nanostructures. It considers several problems relevant to modern solid state physics. Namely these are tunneling between 2D electron layers with spin-orbit interaction, tunnel injection into molecular solid material, resonant tunnel coupling of a bound state with continuum and resonant indirect exchange interaction mediated by a remote conducting channel. A manifestation of spin-orbit interaction in the tunneling between two 2D electron layers is considered. General expression is obtained for the tunneling current with account of Rashba and Dresselhaus types of spin-orbit interaction and elastic scattering. It is demonstrated that the tunneling conductance is very sensitive to relation between Rashba and Dresselhaus contributions and opens possibility to determine the spin-orbit interaction parameters and electron quantum lifetime in direct tunneling experiments with no external magnetic field applied. A microscopic mechanism of hole injection from metallic electrode into organic molecular solid (OMS) in high electric field is proposed for the case when the molecules ionization energy exceeds work function of the metal. It is shown that the main contribution to the injection current comes from direct isoenergetic transitions from localized states in OMS to empty states in the metal. Strong dependence of the injection current on applied voltage originates from variation of the number of empty states available in the metal rather than from distortion of the interface barrier. A theory of tunnel coupling between an impurity bound state and the 2D delocalized states in the quantum well (QW) is developed. The problem is formulated in terms of Anderson-Fano model as configuration interaction between the carrier bound state at the impurity and the continuum of delocalized states in the QW. An effect of this interaction on the interband optical transitions in the QW is analyzed. The results are discussed regarding the series of experiments on the GaAs structures with a -Mn layer. A new mechanism of ferromagnetism in diluted magnetic semiconductor heterosructures is considered, namely the resonant enhancement of indirect exchange interaction between paramagnetic centers via a spatially separated conducting channel. The underlying physical model is similar to the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interaction; however, an important difference relevant to the low-dimensional structures is a resonant hybridization of a bound state at the paramagnetic ion with the continuum of delocalized states in the conducting channel. An approach is developed, which unlike RKKY is not based on the perturbation theory and demonstrates that the resonant hybridization leads to a strong enhancement of the indirect exchange. This finding is discussed in the context of the known experimental data supporting the phenomenon.

Inhibitory effects in the detection of 1 cpd jo targets superimposed to angular frequency stimuli or sinewave gratings

Independence among channels processing different aspects of spatial information, including orthogonal stimuli, has been generally assumed in the literature. We tested independence between the processing of jo targets and the processing of either vertical sinusoidal gratings or angular frequency stimuli with suprathreshold summation. We found the detection of a jo target at 1 cpd to be affected in an inhibitory fashion by either background angular frequencies in the range of 3-96 cycles or sinewave gratings in the range of 0.8-3.0 cpd. These results demonstrate interactions both among orthogonal stimuli and among channels processing vertical sinewave gratings and jo target stimuli. Our discussion focuses on the hypothesis of frequency decomposition in polar coordinates

Antioxidant and free radical scavenging effects in extracts of the medicinal herb Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC. ("marcela")

Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC. (Compositae) is a medicinal herb used in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay for its choleretic, antispasmodic and hepatoprotective properties. The presence of the flavonoid quercetin and its derivatives, and of different phenolic acids such as caffeic, chlorogenic and isochlorogenic acids in the aerial parts of this plant has led us to study the antioxidant activity of its extracts using different bioassays. The inhibition of luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence by the aqueous and methanolic extracts was used to show that their total reactive antioxidant potential index (TRAP; in µM Trolox equivalents) was 91.0 ± 15.4 and 128.1 ± 20.1 µM, respectively, while the total antioxidant reactivity index (TAR) was calculated to be 1537 ± 148 and 1910 ± 171 µM. Only the methanolic extract was capable of reducing iron (II)-dependent DNA damage. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by two different methods. The aqueous extract reduced hydroperoxide-initiated chemiluminescence in rat liver homogenates at all concentrations in a dose-dependent manner, with a calculated IC50 = 225 µg/ml, while the methanolic extract was only effective at higher concentrations (100 and 1000 µg/ml). Both aqueous and methanolic extracts were capable of reducing the production of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in rat liver homogenates, with an IC50 >1000 µg/ml. The results obtained suggest that the extracts of A. satureioides possess significant free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity in vitro, a fact that should encourage future in vivo studies.

Interfacial effects in organic solar cells

Solceller baserade på organiska halvledare erbjuder en möjlighet till storskalig och billig solenergiproduktion. Organiska halvledare har den fördelen att de är lösningsprocesserbara vilket gör att solceller och andra elektroniska komponenter baserade på dessa halvledare kan tillverkas vid låga temperaturer och med liten energiförbrukning. Nackdelen med dessa material är deras strukturella och energetiska oordning som leder till lägre effektivitet. För att organiska solceller ska kunna kommersialiseras krävs grundläggande insikter i de olika processer som begränsar effektiviteten. En stor del av forskningen om dessa processer har varit fokuserad kring egenskaperna av solcellens olika komponenter (de aktiva materialen) som sådana, medan gränsytorna mellan olika material har fått mindre uppmärksamhet. Gränsytor mellan olika material har distinkt olika egenskaper jämfört med ett rent material, och gränsytors olika egenskaper kan ha en väldigt stor inverkan på hur solcellerna fungerar. Syftet med denna avhandling är att klargöra några olika gränsyterelaterade effekter i organiska dioder och solceller. De gränsytor som behandlas är gränsytan mellan kontakten och det aktiva lagret (metall-organisk) och gränsytan mellan donor och acceptor (organisk-organisk). Resultaten visar att metall-organiska gränsytor måste designas noggrant för att begränsa förlust av effektivitet. En icke-idealisk kontakt leder till starkt reducerad effektivitet på grund av att elektronerna extraheras ineffektivt. Även till synes idealiska kontakter kan orsaka förluster genom spontan laddningsöverföring från metallen till det organiska lagret som effektivt sett minskar på den spänning som cellen kan alstra. Den organisk-organiska gränsytan påverkar hur mycket ström cellen kan alstra och beroende på gränsytans beskaffenhet kan de negativa rekombinationsprocesserna i materialet kontrolleras. ------------------------------------------------- Orgaanisille puolijohteille perustuvat aurinkokennot mahdollistavat suurimuotoisen ja edullisen aurinkoenergiatuotannon. Orgaanisten puolijohteiden etu on että ne voidaan liuottaa, jolloin aurinkokennot ja muut näille johteille perustuvat elektroniset komponentit voidaan valmistaa alhaisessa lämpötilassa kuluttaen vähän energiaa. Materiaalien huonona puolena on kuitenkin niiden rakenteellinen ja energeettinen epäjärjestys, jonka seurauksena niiden tehokkuus on huonompi. Orgaanisten aurinkokennojen kaupallistaminen edellyttää perustavanlaatuista ymmärystä tehokkuutta rajoittavista prosesseista. Aurinkokennotutkimus on pääosin keskittynyt aurinkokennon eri komponenttien (aktiivisten materiaalien) ominaisuuksiin, kun taas eri materiaalien rajapinnat ovat jääneet vähemmälle huomiolle. Eri materiaalien välisillä rajapinnoilla on huomattavan erilaisia ominaisuuksia verrattuna puhtaisiin materiaaleihin. Rajapintojen ominaisuudet voivat kuitenkin vaikuttaa merkittävästi aurinkokennojen toimintaan. Tämän väitöstutkimuksen tarkoituksena on selventää joitain rajapintoihin liittyviä toimintoja orgaanisissa diodeissa ja aurinkokennoissa. Käsiteltävät rajapinnat ovat rajapinta kontaktin ja aktiivisen kerroksen välillä (metallis-orgaaninen) ja rajapinta donorin ja akseptorin välillä (orgaanis-orgaaninen). Tutkimustulokset osoittavat, että metallis-orgaaniset rajapinnat tulee suunnitella huolellisesti, jotta tehokkuuden alenemista voidaan rajoittaa. Mikäli kontakti ei ole ideaalisti suunniteltu, vähenee tehokkuus huomattavasti, mikä johtuu elektronien tehottomasta ekstrahoinnista. Jopa ideaalisilta vaikuttavat kontaktit voivat johtaa tehokkuuden alenemiseen, mikäli varaus siirtyy spontaanisti metallista orgaaniseen kerrokseen, sillä tämä alentaa jännitettä jonka kenno voi tuottaa. Kennon orgaanis-orgaaninen rajapinta vaikuttaa siihen, kuinka paljon virtaa kenno pystyy tuottamaan. Rajapinnan ominaisuuksista riippuen materiaalin rekombinaatio on hallittavissa.