Electroencephalographic and Immunological Findings in Patients with Schizophrenia Treated with Clozapine

This work studies the effect of clozapine (CLO) on the electroencephalography (EEG) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by peripheral blood monocytes (MO) in patients with schizophrenia (SCH). The aim of the study was to investigate the mechanism of action of CLO, to clarify the effect of CLO on EEG absolute power spectrum and ROS production, and explore the relationship of these effects with clinical response. We also tried to clarify whether the EEG changes or ROS production would help to identify the patients who were most likely to respond to treatment with CLO. Our findings suggest that the amount of slow background activity, particularly the absolute power of the theta frequency band, in the EEG is markedly increased by CLO treatment and this finding correlates positively with clinical improvement in patients with SCH. CLO affected the production of ROS by blood MO with reduction or minimal increase of the ROS production being associated with clinical improvement, whereas marked increase of the ROS production did not. Also a positive correlation between theta absolute power increase in the EEG and suppression of the production of ROS by blood MO was found. The correlations between different symptom clusters of SCH and the EEG rhythms were investigated; the absolute power of beta activity in the EEG seemed to correlate positively to overall psychopathology in patients with SCH showing inadequate response. The results suggest that the EEG background activity and investigation of the production of ROS by MO seem to be an adjunctive method to objectively assess and possibly predict the therapeutic effect of CLO in patients with chronic SCH showing inadequate response to treatment with conventional antipsychotics.

Sinusta kiinni : Tutkimus puolisohoivan arjen toimijuuksista

Depending on you – A study of spousal care, everyday life and agency The present aim of the aging policy is to promote old peoples´ possibilities to live at their own home. It is also many elderly couples´ own wish. At home a persons spouse is the most natural care giver, if she or he is able to give care. Spousal care means living together, giving and receiving care and interdependency between the spouses. The aim of the policy is to support spousal care by paying financial support to a carer and arrang-ing formal home care services. The purpose of this research is to study the agency of care giving and receiving spouses as care givers and receivers and also as home care service users. The data of the study consist of the interviews of 21 elderly couples. Both spouses were interviewed seper-ately, with the exception of five couples who were interviewed together. In these inter-views a care receiver had difficulties in communicating by speaking and a spouse was her or his interpreter. The study is based on a social constructionistic and a discourse analytical view of con-struction of meanings in human communication. Talking is a social action: people achieve identities, realities, social order and social relationship through talking. In inter-pretating the spouses agency I have used of Harvey Sack´s method of Membership Categorization Device (MCD). The spouses construct social categories which made the meaning of their agency visible. Care changes the routines and actions of everyday life. The couples have to negotiate their duties and rights between each other. Care giving and receiving are both physical and emotional actions. In the end it becomes a part of the couples´ normal life. The pur-pose of couples´ action is to live together as long as possible. They want to strengthen both their own agency and their spouses´ agency. The living together depends on both of them. The spouses decided together what home care services they would like to use and on which conditions they have to use services. Spouses have different kind of agencies as service users which describe their relationship and confidency on formal home care support and services. Services must support the elderly couples´ shared life at home. They cannot be against the conditions on the spousal care. When you want to arrange services to elderly care giving and receiving couples, you have to consider their own wishes and the meanings of their own relationship and shared life.

Knowledge through Discussion : An Interpretation of Epistemology in Plato's Meno

According to Meno s paradox we cannot inquire into what we do not know because we do not know what we are inquiring into. There are many ways to interpret the paradox but the central issue about our ability to reach truth is a profound one. In the dialogue Meno, Plato presents the paradox and an outline of a solution which enables us to reach knowledge (epistēmē) through philosophical discussion. During the last century Meno has often been considered transitional between Socratic thinking and Plato s own philosophy, and thus the dialogue has not been adequately interpreted as an integrated whole. Therefore the distinctive epistemology of the dialogue has not gained due notice. In this thesis the dialogue is analysed as an integrated whole and the philosophical interpretation also takes into account its dramatic features. The thesis emphasises the role of language and definitions in acquiring knowledge. Among the results concerning these subjects is a new interpretation of Socrates s defintion of shape (schēma). The theory of anamnēsis all learning is recollection in the Meno is argued to answer the paradox philosophically although Plato s presentation also contains playful and ironic elements. The background of the way Plato presents his case is that he appreciated the fact that no argument can plausibly demonstrate that argumentation is able to reach truth. In the Meno, Plato makes the earliest explicit distinction between knowledge and true belief in the history of Western philosophy. He also gives a definition of knowledge which is the basis of the so called classical definition of knowledge as justified true belief. In the Meno, true beliefs become knowledge when someone ties them down by reasoning about the explanation. The analysis of the epistemology of the dialogue from this perspective gives an interpretation which integrates the central concepts of the epistemology in the dialogue elenchos, anamnēsis and hypothetical inquiry into a unified whole which contains a plausible argument according to which the ignorant can reach knowledge through discussion. The conception that emerges by such an analysis is interesting both from the point of view of current interests and that of the history of philosophy. The method of knowledge acquisition in the Meno can, for example, be seen as a predecessor of modern scientific methods. The Meno is the earliest Greek mathematical text that has survived in its original form. The analysis presented in the thesis of the geometric passages in the dialogue provides new results both concerning Socrates s geometry lesson with the slave and the example presenting the hypothetical method. Concerning the latter, a new interpretation is presented. Keywords: anamnēsis, epistēmē, knowledge, Meno s paradox, Plato

Characterization of an in vitro transcription system from rinderpest virus

An in vitro transcription system for rinderpest virus (RPV) is described. Ribonucleoprotein complexes isolated from RPV-infected Vero cells, human lung carcinoma cells, or detergent-disrupted purified virions synthesized authentic RPV mRNAs for the N, P, M, F and H genes as identified by dot blot hybridization analysis with individual cDNA clones. The relative abundance of the mRNAs synthesized in vitro decreased from the 3? end of the genome to the 5? end, very similar to that observed with measles virus transcription in vitro. The transcription by purified virions was stimulated three-fold by the addition of infected human lung carcinoma cell lysate, demonstrating the involvement of host factor(s) in mRNA synthesis.

Optical read-out scheme based on Grated Waveguide Cantilever cavity resonance for interrogation of cantilever sensor arrays

The design and analysis of an optical read-out scheme based on a grated waveguide (GWG) resonator for interrogating microcantilever sensor arrays is presented. The optical system consisting of a micro cantilever monolithically integrated in proximity to a grated waveguide (GWG), is realized in silicon optical bench platform. The mathematical analysis of the optical system is performed using a Fabry-Perot interferometer model with a lossy cavity formed between the cantilever and the GWG and an analytical expression is derived for the optical power transmission as a function of the cantilever deflection which corresponds to cavity width variation. The intensity transmission of the optical system for different cantilever deflections estimated using the analytical expression captures the essential features exhibited by a FDTD numerical model.

Thermal and Sonochemical Degradation Kinetics of Poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-alkyl acrylates): Variation of Chain Strength and Stability with Copolymer Composition

The thermal degradation of poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-alkyl acrylate) was compared with ultrasonic degradation. For this purpose, different compositions of poly (n-butyl methacrylate-co-methyl acrylate) (PBMAMA) and a particular composition of poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-ethyl acrylate) (PBMAEA) and poly(n-butyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate) (PBMABA) were synthesized and characterized. The thermal degradation of polymers shows that the poly(alkyl acrylates) degrade in a single stage by random chain scission and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) degrades in two stages. The number of stages of thermal degradation of copolymers was same as the majority component of the copolymer. The activation energy corresponding to random chain scission increased and then decreased with an increase of n-butyl methacrylate fraction in copolymer. The effect of methyl acrylate content, alkyl acrylate substituent, and solvents on the ultrasonic degradation of these copolymers was investigated. A continuous distribution kinetics model was used to determine the degradation rate coefficients. The degradation rate coefficient of PBMAMA varied nonlinearly with n-butyl methacrylate content. The degradation of poly (n-butyl methacrylate-co-alkyl acrylate) followed the order: PBMAMA < PBMAEA < PBMABA. The variation in the degradation rate constant with composition of the copolymer was discussed in relation to the competing effects of the stretching of the polymer in solution and the electron displacement in the main chain. (C) 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers

Phylogeography unplugged: comparative surveys in the genomic era

In March 2012, the authors met at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) in Durham, North Carolina, USA, to discuss approaches and cooperative ventures in Indo-Pacific phylogeography. The group emerged with a series of findings: (1) Marine population structure is complex, but single locus mtDNA studies continue to provide powerful first assessment of phylogeographic patterns. (2) These patterns gain greater significance/power when resolved in a diversity of taxa. New analytical tools are emerging to address these analyses with multi-taxon approaches. (3) Genome-wide analyses are warranted if selection is indicated by surveys of standard markers. Such indicators can include discordance between genetic loci, or between genetic loci and morphology. Phylogeographic information provides a valuable context for studies of selection and adaptation. (4) Phylogeographic inferences are greatly enhanced by an understanding of the biology and ecology of study organisms. (5) Thorough, range-wide sampling of taxa is the foundation for robust phylogeographic inference. (6) Congruent geographic and taxonomic sampling by the Indo-Pacific community of scientists would facilitate better comparative analyses. The group concluded that at this stage of technology and software development, judicious rather than wholesale application of genomics appears to be the most robust course for marine phylogeographic studies. Therefore, our group intends to affirm the value of traditional (''unplugged'') approaches, such as those based on mtDNA sequencing and microsatellites, along with essential field studies, in an era with increasing emphasis on genomic approaches.

Advancing biodiversity research in developing countries: the need for changing paradigms

The world is in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, threatening essential goods and services on which humanity depends. While there is an urgent need globally for biodiversity research, growing obstacles are severely limiting biodiversity research throughout the developing world, particularly in Southeast Asia. Facilities, funding, and expertise are often limited throughout this region, reducing the capacity for local biodiversity research. Although western scientists generally have more expertise and capacity, international research has sometimes been exploitative ``parachute science,'' creating a culture of suspicion and mistrust. These issues, combined with misplaced fears of biopiracy, have resulted in severe roadblocks to biodiversity research in the very countries that need it the most. Here, we present an overview of challenges to biodiversity research and case studies that provide productive models for advancing biodiversity research in developing countries. Key to success is integration of research and education, a model that fosters sustained collaboration by focusing on the process of conducting biodiversity research as well as research results. This model simultaneously expands biodiversity research capacity while building trust across national borders. It is critical that developing countries enact policies that protect their biodiversity capital without shutting down international and local biodiversity research that is essential to achieve the long-term sustainability of biodiversity, promoting food security and economic development.

Scaling of pressure spectrum in turbulent boundary layers

Scaling of pressure spectrum in zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers is discussed. Spatial DNS data of boundary layer at one time instant (Re-theta = 4500) are used for the analysis. It is observed that in the outer regions the pressure spectra tends towards the -7/3 law predicted by Kolmogorov's theory of small-scale turbulence. The slope in the pressure spectra varies from -1 close to the wall to a value close to -7/3 in the outer region. The streamwise velocity spectra also show a -5/3 trend in the outer region of the flow. The exercise carried out to study the amplitude modulation effect of the large scales on the smaller ones in the near-wall region reveals a strong modulation effect for the streamwise velocity, but not for the pressure fluctuations. The skewness of the pressure follows the same trend as the amplitude modulation coefficient, as is the case for the velocity. In the inner region, pressure spectra were seen to collapse better when normalized with the local Reynolds stress (-(u'v') over bar) than when scaled with the local turbulent kinetic energy (q(2) = (u'(2)) over bar + (v'(2)) over bar + (w'(2)) over bar)

Santo Tomás y las razones de la fe

Pocos días antes del cierre del Concilio Vaticano II, el papa Pablo VI expresaba a los miembros de la Academia Santo Tomás de Aquino lo siguiente: …vuestros estudios pueden contribuir a disipar el menosprecio de un cierto número de creyentes que hoy son tentados por un renaciente fideísmo. Al no atribuir valor más que al pensamiento de tipo científico, y desconfiando de las certezas propias de la sabiduría filosófica, son llevados a fundar sobre una opción de la voluntad su adhesión al orden de las verdades metafísicas. Frente a esta abdicación de la inteligencia, que tiende a arruinar la doctrina tradicional de los preámbulos de la fe, vuestros trabajos deben evocar el valor indispensable de la razón natural, solemnemente afirmado por el Concilio Vaticano I (Dz-Sch. 3004, 3009, 3015 y 3026), en conformidad con la enseñanza constante de la Iglesia, de la que Santo Tomás de Aquino es uno de los testimonios más autorizados y eminentes...

Final Supplemental Environmental Document Pacific herring commercial fishing regulations (Sections 163, 163.1, and 164, Title 14, California Code of Regulations)

(PDF contains 63 pages.)

Species Profiles: Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic): Alewife/Blueback Herring

This profile covers life history and environmental requirements of both alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback herring (Alosa aestivalis), since their distribution is overlapping and their morphology, ecological role, and environmental requirements are similar. The alewife is an anadromous species found in riverine, estuarine, and Atlantic coastal habitats, depending on life cycle stage, from Newfoundland (Winters et al. 1973) to Soutn Carolina (Berry 1964). Landlocked populations are i n the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, and many other freshwater lakes (Bigelow and Sch roeder 1953; Scott and Crossman 1973). The blueback herring is an anadromous species found in riverine, estuarine, and Atlantic coastal habitats, depending on life stage cycle, from Nova Scotia to the St. Johns River, Florida (Hildebrand 1963)

Análise comparativa in vivo da detecção de lesões de cárie oclusal e proximal por meio de exame visual (ICDAS), exame radiográfico e transiluminação por fibra ótica (FOTI)

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar in vivo a detecção de cárie através do exame visual ICDAS, transiluminação por fibra ótica combinado ao ICDAS e exame radiográfico. Um total de 2.279 superfícies proximais e cicatrículas e fissuras em incisivos superiores, pré-molares e molares permanentes e 272 superfícies em molares decíduos em72 escolares (8 a 18 anos) foram avaliadas por um examinador treinado. Os sete escores para detecção de cárie primária do sistema visual ICDAS foram aplicados. Dois equipamentos de transiluminação por fibra ótica foram avaliados: FOTI Schott (SCH), com ponta de fibra ótica com 0,5mm de diâmetro, e FOTI Microlux (MIC), com diâmetro da ponta 3 mm. Durante o exame combinado FOTI/ICDAS, a fibra ótica era utilizada tanto para iluminar quanto para transiluminar a superfície sob avaliação. O exame radiográfico (RX) consistiu de radiografias interproximais posteriores e periapicais anteriores. Os exames foram realizados em consultório odontológico após escovação supervisionada. No primeiro dia de exame, o exame visual utilizando o ICDAS era realizado e em seguida, o exame combinado ao MIC ou SCH. Logo após era realizado o exame radiográfico. Após uma semana, novamente o ICDAS era realizado, e em seguida o exame combinado com o equipamento de FOTI não utilizado na semana anterior. Os exames foram repetidos em 10 pacientes após intervalo mínimo de uma semana para avaliação da reprodutibilidade intra-examinador, a qual apresentou valores de 0,95 (ICDAS), 0,94 (MIC), 0,95 (SCH) e 0,99 (RX) pelo kappa ponderado. Em cicatrículas e fissuras de permanentes, o RX julgou que um número maior de superfícies apresentava lesão em dentina (53) do que os outros métodos (34 a 36); porém não detectou nenhuma lesão em esmalte, as quais foram identificadas pelo ICDAS (94), SCH (107) e MIC (91). Em proximais permanentes, a transiluminação por fibra ótica identificou maior número de proximais como lesão em esmalte - 150 (SCH) e 139 (MIC) - do que o exame visual (106), enquanto o RX identificou somente 43. Em oclusais de decíduos, os quatro métodos julgaram um número aproximadamente similar de superfícies sem lesão (52 a 59) ou com lesão em dentina (21 a 26), assim como para lesões proximais em dentina (31 a 36). Entretanto um número reduzido de lesões proximais decíduas em esmalte foi julgado pelo exame radiográfico (3) em comparação com os outros métodos (15 a 16). Em decíduos, o ICDAS e o FOTI combinado ao exame visual julgaram maior número de lesões proximais em esmalte que o exame radiográfico, sendo que número similar de lesões em dentina foram classificadas pelos quatro métodos em oclusais e proximais de molares decíduos. Em cicatrículas e fissuras de permanentes, tanto o exame visual ICDAS quanto sua combinação aos dois equipamentos de transiluminação apresentaram maior similaridade de superfícies julgadas como lesão em esmalte ou como lesão em dentina, enquanto o exame radiográfico classificou mais superfícies como lesão em dentina e nenhuma como lesão em esmalte. A adição da transiluminação por fibra ótica ao exame visual aumentou em um terço a detecção das lesões cariosas proximais julgadas em dentina pelo ICDAS isoladamente e aproximadamente quadruplicou o número daquelas assim classificadas pela avaliação radiográfica em permanentes.

木樨科丁香属的系统学研究

丁香属Syringa是木樨科Oleaceae中一个中等大小的属，大多数种类花形美丽，具有很高的园林观赏价值。本文以标本检查为主，结合形态学、孢粉学、细胞学和植物地理学几个方面对丁香属进行了分类研究。 一．形态学：丁香属分类的主要性状为：单叶或复叶、圆锥花序的着生位置、花冠管的长短。这些性状的演化趋势为：单叶--羽状深裂--羽状复叶，圆锥花序由顶芽抽生--圆锥花序由侧芽抽生，长花冠管，雄蕊不伸出花冠管--短花冠管，雄蕊伸出花冠管。 二．孢粉学：本文首次对丁香属的花粉形态作了较为全面而系统的研究。所取材料为各组、系、亚系的代表种。孢粉学的研究表明，本属花粉形态一致。均为近球形，极面观3裂圆形，三（拟）孔沟，沟边缘不加厚，外壁分层明显，外层厚于内层，半覆盖层，粗网状纹饰。扫描电镜观察结果表明，本属花粉的表面纹饰可区分为6种类型：1）．网眼小，网脊细、较直而使网眼呈多边形，网脊下小柱不明显，2).网眼稍大，网脊细、直，网脊下小柱不明显，3),网眼较大，网脊细、稍弯曲，网脊下小柱可见，4）．网眼大，网脊细而弯曲， 网脊下小明显，5).网眼小，网脊细、弯曲而使网眼呈不规则扁长形，6）．网眼较大，网脊粗、直，网脊下小柱不明显。顶生花序系Ser. Villosae (Schneid.) Rehd. 以1型为主，侧生花序系Ser. Syringa从2-4型，羽叶丁香系Ser, Pinnatifolia Rehd,为5型，短花冠管组Sect.Ligustrina Rupr.为6型。其变化规律与形态学上的系统演化关系相—致。 三，细胞学：本文对丁香属部分种进行了染色体数目的观察，初步的结果显示，本属的染色体基数为n=23或24，这两种情况在不同的组、系都存在。本属为异源多倍体起源，由陵花目中染色体基数为n=ll和n=12的祖先类群通过杂交形成，并由于染色体组在减数分裂过程中非整倍性变异，而产生n 2或n=24的变化。 四，分类修订及系统位置和演化趋势： 本文在查看了本所标本馆全部丁香属的标本、考证了约22个种的原始描述以及部分模式标本和模式照片的基础上，对该属分类作下列修订：1．将华丁香Syringa protolaciniata、花叶丁香S．x persica、 裂叶丁香S．x laciniata、阿富汗丁香S．afghanica 四个种从欧丁香亚系中移出，置于羽叶丁香系Ser. Pinnatifolia，2．改欧丁香系Set. Vulgares和巧铃花系Ser. Pubescentes为亚系等级，均置于侧生花序系Ser. Syringa中，3．恢复山丁香Syringa potaninii Schneid.、小叶丁香S．micropylla Diels、关东丁香s．patula (Palibin) Nakai、光萼丁香S．juliana Schneid.、朝鲜丁香S．dilatata Nakai，并作为种的等级，毛萼云南丁香S．yunanensis Franch.f．pubicalyx (Jien ex P.Y. Bai) M.C. Chang仍作变种处理。在此基础上，本文将丁香属分为2组3系2亚系： 组1．长花冠管组Sect.l. Syringa:系1．顶生花序系Ser.1．Villosae(Sch- neid.)Rehd.;系2．侧生花序系Ser.2. Syringa，亚系1．欧丁香亚系Subser.1．Syring，亚系2．巧铃花亚系Pubescentes(Schneid.)Rehd.;系3．羽叶丁香系Ser.3. Pinnatifoliae Rehd. 组2．短花冠管组Sect.2. Ligustrina Rupr. 各分类单元的命名，仍沿用已有的名称。 结合各方面的研究成果，表明丁香属是一个十分自然的类群。在木樨科中，本属与女贞属的关系密切，由女贞属裂果女贞组Sect. Sarcocarpion (Franch.)Mansf.衍生而来。属内演化趋势始为长花冠管组的顶生花序系，而后是侧生花序系、羽叶丁香系，短花冠管组为本属中进化程度较高的类群。 五．植物地理学：丁香属为旧世界温带分布型属，分布区连续。约28种5变种9变型。除2种产于欧洲，1种产于阿富汗、巴基斯坦，1种产于朝鲜，1种产于日本外，其余种类均分布于中国。其中，中国西南地区丁香属的种类、原始类型及其在该地区所占比例均显示是丁香属现代分布中心和起源演化中心，并由此沿三条主线向周围扩散。