Magnetic characterization of Co1-xNixFe2O4 (0 <= x <= 1) nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation route

Magnetic nanoparticles of Ni-doped cobalt ferrite [Co1-xNixFe2O4(0 <= x <= 1)] synthesized by coprecipitation route have been studied as a function of doping concentration (x) and particle size. The size of the particles as determined by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses was found in the range 12-48 nm. The coercivity (H-C) and saturation magnetization (M-S) showed a decreasing behavior with increasing Ni concentration. M-S of all the samples annealed at 600 degrees C lies in the range 65.8-13.7 emu/gm. Field-cooled (FC) studies of the samples showed horizontal shift (exchange bias) and vertical shift in the magnetization loop. Strong decrease in exchange bias (H-b) and vertical shift (delta M) was found for low Ni concentrations while negligible decrease was found at higher concentrations. The presence of exchange bias in the low Ni-concentration region has been explained with reference to the interface spins interaction between a surface region (with structural and spin disorder) and a ferrimagnetic core region. M(T) graphs of the samples showed a decreasing trend of blocking temperature (T-b) with increasing Ni concentration. The decrease of T-b with increasing Ni concentration has been attributed to the lower anisotropy energy of Ni+2 ions as compared to Co+2 that increases the probability of the jump across the anisotropy barrier which in turn decreases the blocking temperature of the system.

Vertical distribution of bacterial and archaeal communities along discrete layers of a deep-sea cold sediment sample at the East Pacific Rise (similar to 13 degrees N)

The community structure and vertical distribution of prokaryotes in a deep-sea (ca. 3,191 m) cold sediment sample (ca. 43 cm long) collected at the East Pacific Rise (EPR) similar to 13 degrees N were studied with 16SrDNA-based molecular analyses. Total community DNA was extracted from each of four discrete layers EPRDS-1, -2, -3 and -4 (from top to bottom) and 16S rDNA were amplified by PCR. Cluster analysis of DGGE profiles revealed that the bacterial communities shifted sharply between EPRDS-1 and EPRDS-2 in similarity coefficient at merely 49%. Twenty-three sequences retrieved from DGGE bands fell into 11 groups based on BLAST and bootstrap analysis. The dominant groups in the bacterial communities were Chloroflexi, Gamma proteobacteria, Actinobacterium and unidentified bacteria, with their corresponding percentages varying along discrete layers. Pairwise Fst (F-statistics) values between the archaeal clone libraries indicated that the archaeal communities changed distinctly between EPRDS-2 and EPRDS-3. Sequences from the archaeal libraries were divided to eight groups. Crenarchaea Marine Group I (MGI) was prevalent in EPRDS-1 at 83%, while Uncultured Crenarchaea group II B (UCII B) abounded in EPRDS-4 at 61%. Our results revealed that the vertically stratified distribution of prokaryotic communities might be in response to the geochemical settings and suggested that the sampling area was influenced by hydrothermalism. The copresence of members related to hydrothermalism and cold deep-sea environments in the microbial community indicated that the area might be a transitional region from hydrothermal vents to cold deep-sea sediments.

荣成基底片麻岩原岩岩石成因及其构造意义

Extensive high to ultrahigh pressure metamorphic rocks are outcropped in the the Dabie-Sulu UHP orogenic belt. Disputes still exist about for protolith nature of metamorphic rocks, petrogenesis, tectonic setting, and influence on upper mantle during the Triassic deep subduction. In this study, a combined study of petrology, geochemistry, isotope geochemistry and zircon chronology was accomplished for high-grade gneisses in the basement of the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic Rongcheng terrane to reveal protolith nature and petrogenesis of the gneisses and to disucss the magmatic succession along the northern margin of the Yangtze block in Neoproterozoic. Gneisses in the Rongcheng terrane are characterized by negative Nb, Ta, P and Ti anomalies, relatively low Sr/Y ratios and relatively high Ba/La, Ba/Nb and Ba/Zr ratios, mostly displaying geochemical affinity to Phanerozoic volcanic arc. Neoproterozoic protolith ages (0.7 ~ 0.8 Ga) and Paleoproterozoic average crustal residence time (1.92 ~ 2.21 Ga) favour a Yangtze affinity. The gneisses mostly display characteristics of enrichment of LREE, flat heavy rare earth elements (REE) patterns, moderately fractionation between LREE and HREE and slight negative or positive Eu anomalies, probably reflecting that melting took place in the middle to low crust (26 ~ 33 km), where amphibole fractionated from the melts and/or inherited from source material as major mineral phases in the source area. Sr-Nd isotopic composition of the gneisses supports this conclusion. According to εNd(t) and εHf(t) values, the gneisses can be divided into three groups. Gneisses of group I have the highest εNd(t) and εHf(t) values, corresponding to the range of -6 ~ -3 and -2.9 ~ 13.4, respectively. This suggests obvious influx of depleted mantle or juvenile crust in the formation of protoliths. Gneisses of group II have medium εNd(t) (-9 ~ -7) and εHf(t) values (-15.8 ~ -1.4), corresponding to relatively high TDM2(Nd) (1.99 ~ 2.31 Ga) and TDM2(Hf) (1.76 ~ 2.67 Ga) , respectively. This suggests these gneisses were formed by partial melting of Paleoproterozoic crust. Gneisses of group III have the lowest εNd(t) (-15 ~ -10) and εHf(t) values (-15.8 ~ -1.4), corresponding to the largest TDM2(Nd) (1.99 ~ 2.31 Ga) and TDM2(Hf) ( 1.76 ~ 2.67 Ga), respectively. This indicates that gneisses of group III were formed by remelting of Archean crustal material and further demonstrates existence of an Archean basement probably of the Yangtze affinity beneath the Rongcheng terrane. Gneisses of three groups have also certain different geochemical characteristics. Contents of REEs and trace elements reduce gradually from group I to group III. Zirconium saturation temperatures also show similar tendency. Compared to gneisses of group II and group III, gneisses of group I display geochemical feature similar to extensional tectonic setting, having relatively little influence by the source area. Therefore, geochemical characteristics for gneisses of group I can indictate that the protoliths of the Rongcheng gneisses formed in an extensional rifting tectonic setting. This conclusion is supported by the results of eclogites and gabbros previously reported in the Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt. Statistical results of the protolith ages of the Rongcheng gneisses show two age peaks around ~728 Ma and ~783 Ma with an about 50 Ma gap. Extensive magatism in abou 750 Ma along the northern margin of the Yangtze block can hardly be observed in the Rongcheng terrane. This phenomenon likely suggests discontinuous Neoproterozoic magmatism along the northern margin of the Yangtze block.

胶东地区金矿床成矿时代及其成矿地球动力学背景-兼论壳幔相互作用与成岩成矿

Jiaodong Peninsula is the largest repository of gold in China. Varieties of studies have been involved in the mechanism of metallogenesis. This thesis is a part of the project "Study of basic geology related to the prespecting of the supra-large deposits" which supported by National Climbing Program of China to Prof. Zhou. One of the key scientific problems is to study the age and metallogenic dynamics of ore deposit and to understand how interaction between mantle and crust constrains on metallogenesis and lithogenesis. As Jiaodong Peninsula to be study area, the Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and Pb isotopic systematics of pyrite and altered rocks are measured to define the age and origin of gold. The elemental and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic compositions of dikes and granites was studied to implicate the source and lithogenesis of the dike and granite and removal of lithosphere and the interaction between mantle and crust in the Jiaodong Peninsula. Considering the tectonic of Jiaodong Peninsula, basic on the time and space, this thesis gives a metallogenic dynamics of gold mineralization and discusses the constraints of the interaction between mantle and crust on the metallogenesis and lithogenesis. This thesis reports the first direct Rb-Sr dating of pyrites and ores using sub-sampling from lode gold deposit in Linglong, Jiaodong Peninsula and the results demonstrate this as a useful geochronological technique for gold mineralization with poor age constraint. The Rb-Sr data of pyrites yields an isochron age of (121.6-122.7) Ma, whereas, those of ore and ore-pyrite spread in two ranges from 120.0 to 121.8 Ma and 110.0-111.7 Ma. Studies of characteristic of gold deposit, microscopy of pyrite and quartz indicate that the apparent ages of ore and ore-pyrite are not isochron ages, it was only mixed by two end members, i.e., the primitive hydrothermal fluids and wall rocks. However, the isochron age of pyrite samples constrains the age of gold mineralization, i.e., early Cretaceous, which is in good consistence with the published U-Pb ages of zircon by using the SHRIMP technique. The whole rock Rb-Sr isochron age of altered rocks indicates that the age of gold mineralizing in the Xincheng gold deposit is 116.6 ± 5.3 Ma. The Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions of pyrite and altered rocks indicate that the gold and relevant elements were derived from multi-sources, i.e. dikes derived from enriched lithospheric mantle and granites, granodiorites and metamorphic rocks outcropped on the crust. It also shows that the hydrothermal fluids derived from mantle magma degassing had play an important role in the gold mineralizing. The major and trace elements, Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data of granites and granodiorites suggest that the Linglong Granite and Kunyushan Granite were derived from partial melting of basement rocks in the Jiaodong Peninsula at post-collision of North China Craton with South China Craton. Guojialing Granodiorite was considered to be derived from a mixture source, that is, mixed by magmas derived from an enriched lithospheric mantle and crust during the delamination of lithosphere induced by the subduction of Izanagi Plate and the movement of Tancheng-Lujiang Fault. There are kinds of dikes occurred in the Jiaodong Peninsula, which are accompanying with gold mineralization in time and space. The dikes include gabrro, diabase, pyroxene diorite, gabrrophyre, granite-porphyry, and aplite. The whole rock K-Ar ages give two age intervals: 120-124 Ma for the dikes that erupted at the gold mineralizing stage, and <120 Ma of the dikes that intruded after gold mineralizing. According to the age and the relationship between the dikes and gold mineralizing, the dikes could be divided into two groups: Group I (t = 120-124 Ma) and Group II (t < 120Ma). Group I dikes show the high Mg and K, low Ti contents, negative Nb anomalies and positive Eu anomalies, high ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr and negative εNd(t) values and an enrichment in light rare earth elements, large ion lithosphile elements and a depletion in high field strength elements. Thus the elemental and isotopic characteristics of the Group I dikes indicate that they were derived from an enriched lithospheric mantle perhaps formed by metasomatism of the melt derived from the recycled crustal materials during the deep subduction of continent. In contrast, the Group II dikes have high Ti, Mg and K contents, no negative Nb anomalies, high ~(87)Sr/~(86)Sr and positive or little negative εNd(t) values, which indicate the derivation from a source like OIB-source. The geochemical features also give the tectonic constraints of dikes, which show that Group I dikes were formed at continental arc setting, whereas Group II dikes were formed within plate background. Considering the tectonic setting of Jiaodong Peninsula during the period of gold mineralizing, the metallogenic dynamics was related to the subduction of Izanagi Plate, movement of Tancheng-Lujiang Fault and removal of lithopheric mantle during Late Mesozoic Era.

峨眉山大火成岩省二滩玄武岩地球化学及源区特征

大陆溢流玄武岩根据TiO2含量可划分为高钛玄武岩和低钛玄武岩，这两种不同类型的玄武岩往往有不同的空间分布特征，也具有不同的成因指示意义。峨眉山玄武岩也有高、低钛之分，且其空间分布存在明显差异。然而，在以往的峨眉山玄武岩的研究中只对高、低钛玄武岩进行对比研究，而单独对同一类型玄武岩的研究甚少，尤其是对物质来源的研究。在本论文中，作者以峨眉山大火成岩省中部二滩地区高钛玄武岩为研究对象，通过主量元素、微量元素和Sr－Nd－Pb同位素对其地球化学、岩浆过程以及物质来源进行了探讨，得出以下初步认识和结论： ⑴ 二滩高钛玄武岩可划分出Group I和Group II两种岩石类型。Group I中Sr和Zr显示明显负异常，而Group II无Sr和Zr异常。此两种类型岩石的Sr－Nd－Pb同位素地球化学特征也较为不同。 ⑵ 二滩高钛玄武岩为板内构造环境，Group I和Group II显示出碱性或钙碱性岩特征。 ⑶ Group I和Group II具有不同的熔体形成熔融程度，Group I相对低(0～3.5％)，Group II相对高(4.0～8.0％)。不同的部分熔融程度导致了控制矿物相的不同。 ⑷ Group I和Group II岩浆分别经历了不同的结晶分异过程。Group I主要显示出斜长石结晶分异趋势，Group II则主要显示出橄榄石结晶分异趋势。 ⑸ 微量不相容元素和Sr－Nd－Pb同位素特征表明，Group I和Group II均源自深部富集地幔，具有不同的物质来源，且与地幔柱有成因上的联系。 以上特征表明，二滩玄武岩与深源地幔柱有成因上的联系。这可能是深部地幔柱(来自核－幔边界或下地幔)上升过程中在不同深度携带了不同物质，这些物质发生部分熔融，从而导致了Group I和Group II的明显差异。其充分说明，二滩高钛玄武岩的物源是不均一的，反映了源区的不均一性特征。

Strategies for surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion according to the region of transverse maxillary deficiency

This study evaluated different techniques for surgically assisted rapid maxillary expansion (SARME) according to the type of transverse maxillary deficiency using computed tomography (CT). Six adult patients with bilateral transverse maxillary deficiencies underwent SARME. the patients were equally divided into three groups: Group I, maxillary atresia in both the anterior and posterior regions; Group II, greater maxillary atresia in the anterior region; and Group ill, increased maxillary atresia in the posterior region. in Group I, a subtotal Le Fort I osteotomy was used. in Group II, a subtotal Le Fort I osteotomy was used without pterygomaxillary suture disjunction. in Group III, a subtotal Le Fort I osteotomy was used with pterygomaxillary suture disjunction and fixation of the anterior nasal spine with steel wire. the midpalatal suture opening was evaluated preoperatively and immediately after the activation period using CT. for Group I, the opening occurred parallel to midpalatal suture; for Group II, the opening comprised a V-shape with a vertex on the posterior nasal spine; and for Group III, the opening comprised a V-shape with a vertex at the anterior nasal spine. the conclusion was that the SARME technique should be individualized according to the type of transverse maxillary deficiency.

Effects of melatonin on ovarian follicles

Objective: To evaluate the histomorphometry and expression of Ki-67 and c-kit in ovarian follicles of pinealectomized or melatonin-treated pinealectomized rats.Study design: Forty adult rats were randomly divided into four groups of 10 animals: Group I - control; Group II - sham-pinealectomized; Group III - pinealectomized (Px), and Group IV - Px treated with melatonin (10 mu g/night, per animal). After two months' treatment, on the night of proestrous, the animals were placed in metabolic cages for night urine collection and subsequent measurement of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-SMT). the rats were anesthetized, blood samples were taken for estrogen and progesterone determinations, and they were then euthanized. the ovaries were dissected out for further histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Data were first submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA) complemented with the Tukey-Kramer test for multiple comparisons (P < 0.05).Results: the urinary levels of 6-SMT and serum progesterone were lower in the Px group (GIII). Exogenous melatonin treatment restored both blood melatonin and 6-SMT urinary levels. the histomorphometric data in Group III revealed a significant increase of degenerating antral and nonantral follicles with regard to the other groups. in addition no corpora lutea were observed in this group. No significant differences were noticed regarding the number of corpora lutea among the other groups (I, II and IV), but the number of cells and the thickness of the theca interna of Px animals (Group III) were higher than in the other groups. Conversely, the density of progesterone receptors (fmol/g) in the ovaries of Group III was significantly lower than in the other groups.Conclusion: Our data indicate that melatonin exerts a role on the maintenance of a proper follicular function, and is thus important for ovulation and progesterone production. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Breast milk levels of zinc and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and growth of healthy Chinese infants

AIM: To examine the concentrations of zinc and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 PUFAs) in breast milk, the impact of zinc on omega-6 PUFA metabolism, and the growth rate of infants. METHODS: Forty-one mother-term infant pairs from a rural area of northern Beijing, China, who were 1 month (n = 18, group I) and 3 months (n = 23, group II) old and exclusively breastfed, were studied. The dietary records and the concentrations of zinc and omega-6 PUFAs in the milk of lactating women and the increase in weight and length of their infants during 1 and 3 postnatal months were analysed. RESULTS: The dietary intakes of mothers in the two groups were the same, i.e. high in carbohydrate and low in fat, protein and energy. The maternal zinc intake was 7.5mg/d and thus reached only 34.6% of the current Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI). The levels of zinc and arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4 omega-6) in the milk of group I were significantly higher than those in group II. Furthermore, significant positive correlations were found between the concentrations of zinc and AA in the breast milk and between the level of milk AA and weight gain. CONCLUSION: Zinc may be a co-factor and essential for essential fatty acids (EFA) metabolism. Thus suboptimal zinc intake may cause EFA imbalance. Further studies of Chinese rural mother-infant pairs are necessary to determine whether zinc supplementation should be recommended when lactation exceeds 3 months.

The potential use of mapped extent and distribution of habitats as indicators of Good Environmental Status (GES)

The Healthy and Biologically Diverse Seas Evidence Group (HBDSEG) has been tasked with providing the technical advice for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) with respect to descriptors linked to biodiversity. A workshop was held in London to address one of the Research and Development (R&D) proposals entitled: ‘Mapping the extent and distribution of habitats using acoustic and remote techniques, relevant to indicators for area/extent/habitat loss.’ The aim of the workshop was to identify, define and assess the feasibility of potential indicators of benthic habitat distribution and extent, and identify the R&D work which could be required to fully develop these indicators. The main points that came out of the workshop were: (i) There are many technical aspects of marine habitat mapping that still need to be resolved if cost-effective spatial indicators are to be developed. Many of the technical aspects that need addressing surround issues of consistency, confidence and repeatability. These areas should be tackled by the JNCC Habitat Mapping and Classification Working Group and the HBDSEG Seabed Mapping Working Group. (ii) There is a need for benthic ecologists (through the HBDSEG Benthic Habitats Subgroup and the JNCC Marine Indicators Group) to finalise the list of habitats for which extent and/or distribution indicators should be considered for development, building upon the recommendations from this report. When reviewing the list of indicators, benthic habitats could also be distinguished into those habitats that are defined/determined primarily by physical parameters (although including biological assemblages) (e.g. subtidal shallow sand) and those defined primarily by their biological assemblage (e.g. seagrass beds). This distinction is important as some anthropogenic pressures may influence the biological component of the ecosystem despite not having a quantifiable effect on the physical habitat distribution/extent. (iii) The scale and variety of UK benthic habitats makes any attempt to undertake comprehensive direct mapping exercises prohibitively expensive (especially where there is a need for repeat surveys for assessment). There is a clear need therefore to develop a risk-based approach that uses indirect indicators (e.g. modelling), such as habitats at risk from pressures caused by current human activities, to develop priorities for information gathering. The next steps that came out of the workshop were: (i) A combined approach should be developed by the JNCC Marine Indicators Group together with the HBDSEG Benthic Habitats Subgroup, which will compile and ultimately synthesise all the criteria used by the three different groups from the workshop. The agreed combined approach will be used to undertake a final review of the habitats considered during the workshop, and to evaluate any remaining habitats in order to produce a list of habitats for indicator development for which extent and/or distribution indicators could be appropriate. (ii) The points of advice raised at this workshop, alongside the combined approach aforementioned, and the final list of habitats for extent and/or distribution indicator development will be used to develop a prioritised list of actions to inform the next round of R&D proposals for benthic habitat indicator development in 2014. This will be done through technical discussions within JNCC and the relevant HBDSEG Subgroups. The preparation of recommendations by these groups should take into account existing work programmes, and consider the limited resources available to undertake any further R&D work.

Retroperitoneal Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Reduces Bowel Dysfunction

Objective: To assess the effect of intestinal manipulation and mesenteric traction on gastro-intestinal function and postoperative recovery in patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Methods: Thirty-five patients undergoing AAA repair were randomised into 3 groups. Group I (n = II) had repair via retroperitoneal approach while Group II (n = 12) and Group III (n = 12) were repaired via transperitoneal approach with bowel packed within the peritoneal cavity or exteriorised in a bowel bag respectively. Gastric emptying was measured pre-operatively (day 0), day 1 and day 3 using paracetamol absorption test (PAT) and area under curve (P-AUC) was calculated. Intestinal permeability was measured using the Lactulose-Mannitol test. Results: Aneurysm size, operation time and PAT (on day 0 and day 3) were similar in the three groups. On day 1, the P-AUC was significantly higher in Group I, when compared with Group II and Group III (P = .02). Resumption of diet was also significantly earlier in Group I as compared to Group II and Group III. The intestinal permeability was significantly increased in Group II and Group III at day 1 when compared with day 0, with no significant increase in Group I. Retroperitoneal repair was also associated with significantly shorter intensive care unit (P = .04) and hospital stay (P = .047), when compared with the combined transperitoneal repair group (Group II and III). Conclusion: Retroperitoneal AAA repair minimises intestinal dysfunction and may lead to quicker patient recovery when compared to transperitoneal repair.

Effect of increasing dietary folate on red-cell folate: Implications for prevention of neural tube defects

Background Recommendations by the UK Department of Health suggest that protection from neural tube defects (NTD) can be achieved through intakes of an extra 400 mu g daily of folate/folic acid as natural food, foods fortified with folic acid, or supplements. The assumption is that all three routes of intervention would have equal effects on folate status.

Methods We assessed the effectiveness of these suggested routes of intervention in optimising folate status. 62 women were recruited from the University staff and students to take part in a 3-month intervention study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the following five groups: folic acid supplement (400 mu g/day; I); folic-acid-fortified foods (an additional 400 mu g/day; II); dietary folate (an additional 400 mu g/day; III); dietary advice (IV), and control (V). Responses to intervention were assessed as changes in red-cell folate between preintervention and postintervention values.

Findings 41 women completed the intervention study. Red-cell folate concentrations increased significantly over the 3 months in the groups taking folic acid supplements (group I) or food fortified with folic acid (group II) only (p<0.01 for both groups). By contrast, although aggressive intervention with dietary folate (group III) or dietary advice (group IV) significantly increased intake of food folate (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively), there was no significant change in folate status.

Interpretation We have shown that compared with supplements and fortified food, consumption of extra folate as natural food folate is relatively ineffective at increasing folate status. We believe that advice to women to consume folate-rich foods as a means to optimise folate status is misleading.

Campath-1G in vivo confers a low incidence of graft-versus-host disease associated with a high incidence of mixed chimaerism after bone marrow transplantation for severe aplastic anaemia using HLA-identical sibling donors

We have evaluated the effect of in vivo Campath-1G on engraftment and GVHD in 23 patients with severe aplastic anaemia transplanted from HLA-identical sibling donors. In 14 patients Campath 1g was given pre-transplant for up to 9 days in an attempt to overcome graft rejection (group 1). In nine patients Campath-1G was given pre-transplant, but also continued post-transplant until day +5 to reduce GVHD (group 2). There were three patients with late graft failure in group I following initial neutrophil engraftment, and four cases of grade II+ GVHD. In group II, two patients had early graft failure (no take), and there were no cases of acute GVHD out of seven evaluable patients. One patient in group I developed chronic GVHD of the liver, and two patients (one in each group) had transient localised chronic GVHD. PCR of short tandem repeats was used to evaluate chimaeric status in 13 patients. Of 11 patients with initial neutrophil engraftment, only one had 100% donor haemopoiesis at all times. The remaining patients had either transient mixed chimaerism or persistence of recipient (< 20%) cells. We conclude that in vivo Campath-1G is associated with a high incidence of mixed chimaerism which tips the balance away from GVHD but towards graft rejection.

Comparison of Composite Placement Techniques by Recently Qualified Dental Practitioners.

Objectives: To evaluate the placement of composite materials by new graduates using three alternative placement techniques.Methods: A cohort of 34 recently qualified graduates were asked to restore class II interproximal cavities in plastic teeth using three different techniques.

(i) A conventional incremental filling technique (Herculite XRV) using increments no larger than 2-mm with an initial layer on the cervical floor of the box of 1-mm.
(ii) Flowable bulk fill technique (Dentsply SDR) bulk fill placement in a 3-mm layer followed by an incremental fill of a microhybrid resin
(iii) Bulk fill (Kerr Sonicfill) which involved restorations placed in a 5-mm layer.

The operators were instructed in each technique, didactically and with a hands-on demonstration, prior to restoration placement.
All restorations were cured according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Each participant restored 3 teeth, 1 tooth per treatment technique.
The restorations were evaluated using modified USPHS criteria to assess both the marginal adaptation and the surface texture of the restorations. Blind evaluations were carried out independently by two examiners with the aid of magnification (loupes X2.5). Examiners were standardized prior to evaluation.
Results: Gaps between the tooth margins and the restoration or between the layers of the restoration were found in 13 of Group (i), 3 of Group (ii), and 4 of Group (iii)
Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the incrementally filled group (i) and the flowable bulk-fill group (ii) (p=0.0043) and between the incrementally filled (i) and the bulk fill groups (iii) (p=0.012) and no statistical difference (p=0.69) between the bulk filled groups Conclusions: Bulk fill techniques may result in a more satisfactory seal of the cavity margins when restoring with composite.

A imagem corporal e a auto-estima na vida da mulher grávida

Dissertação de Mestrado, Psicologia, Área de Especialização em Psicologia da Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Universidade do Algarve, 2008

Adaptação na transição do pré-escolar para o 1º ano de escolaridade : delineamento e avaliação da eficácia de um programa de intervenção

Tese de doutoramento, Psicologia da Educação, Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Educação, 2015