Incidence and classification of bifid mandibular canals using cone beam computed tomography

Aim: To determine the prevalence and classification of bifid mandibular canals using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods: The sample comprised 300 CBCT scans obtained from the Radiology and Imaging Department database at São Leopoldo Mandic Dental School, Campinas, SP, Brazil. All images were performed on Classic I-Cat® CBCT scanner, with standardized voxel at 0.25 mm and 13 cm FOV (field of view). From an axial slice (0.25 mm) a guiding plane was drawn along the alveolar ridge in order to obtain a cross-section. Results: Among 300 patients, 188 (62.7%) were female and 112 (37.3%) were male, aged between 13 to 87 years. Changes in the mandibular canal were observed in 90 patients, 30.0% of the sample, 51 women (56.7%) and 39 men (43.3%). Regarding affected sides, 32.2% were on the right and 24.5% on the left, with 43.3% bilateral cases. Conclusions: According to the results obtained in this study, a prevalence of 30% of bifid mandibular canals was found, with the most prevalent types classified as B (mesial direction) and bilateral.

Measurement of the magnetic field of small magnets with a smartphone: a very economical laboratory practice for introductory physics courses

In this work, we propose an inexpensive laboratory practice for an introductory physics course laboratory for any grade of science and engineering study. This practice was very well received by our students, where a smartphone (iOS, Android, or Windows) is used together with mini magnets (similar to those used on refrigerator doors), a 20 cm long school rule, a paper, and a free application (app) that needs to be downloaded and installed that measures magnetic fields using the smartphone's magnetic field sensor or magnetometer. The apps we have used are: Magnetometer (iOS), Magnetometer Metal Detector, and Physics Toolbox Magnetometer (Android). Nothing else is needed. Cost of this practice: free. The main purpose of the practice is that students determine the dependence of the component x of the magnetic field produced by different magnets (including ring magnets and sphere magnets). We obtained that the dependency of the magnetic field with the distance is of the form x-3, in total agreement with the theoretical analysis. The secondary objective is to apply the technique of least squares fit to obtain this exponent and the magnetic moment of the magnets, with the corresponding absolute error.

A logic-mathematical point of view of the truth: Reality, perception, and language

In this article, the authors propose a theory of the truth value of propositions from a logic-mathematical point of view. The work that the authors present is an attempt to address this question from an epistemological, linguistic, and logical-mathematical point of view. What is it to exist and how do we define existence? The main objective of this work is an approach to the first of these questions. We leave a more thorough treatment of the problem of existence for future works.

Atom probe tomography at the University of Sydney

Summary: The Australian Microscopy & Microanalysis Research Facility (AMMRF) operates a national atom probe laboratory at The University of Sydney. This paperprovides a brief review and update of the technique of atom probe tomography (APT),together with a summary of recent research applications at Sydney in the scienceand technology of materials. We describe recent instrumentation advances such asthe use of laser pulsing to effect time-controlled field evaporation, the introductionof wide field of view detectors, where the solid angle for observation is increased byup to a factor of ∼20 as well as innovations in specimen preparation. We concludethat these developments have opened APT to a range of new materials that werepreviously either difficult or impossible to study using this technique because of theirpoor conductivity or brittleness.

Nano-precipitation : preparation and application in the field of pharmacy

Over the last 30 years, nanoparticle-based medicine has received tremendous attention due to its advances with smart therapeutics and less toxicity. Few nanomedicine products have been approved for commercial use in the clinic (such as Doxil®, Ambraxane®…). Nanomedicine research is still at its early stage and the preparation of nanoparticles must be carefully considered. Systems involving further increased supersaturation, either via solvent evaporation, temperature reduction or anti-solvent mixture, were suggested to be capable of inducing nanoprecipitation (NPT). Since this technique is straight-forward, fast and easy to duplicate in practice, it is highly preferred and recommended. In this review, the process of NTP was described and discussed in detail. Factors that affect the encapsulation efficiency, the nanoparticle size, the morphology and the stability of nanoparticles prepared by NTP were described. This process is one of the most preferable processes for preparing solid nano-protein due to their elegant techniques that preserve the bioactivity of proteins. Although the production of nanoparticles by this process has not been applied in the pharmaceutical industry due to the organic solvent issue, the production equipment for large-scale has been marketed.

Interventions for comorbid problem gambling and psychiatric disorders : advancing a developing field of research

Despite significant psychiatric comorbidity in problem gambling, there is little evidence on which to base treatment recommendations for subpopulations of problem gamblers with comorbid psychiatric disorders. This mini-review draws on two separate systematic searches to identify possible interventions for comorbid problem gambling and psychiatric disorders, highlight the gaps in the currently available evidence base, and stimulate further research in this area. In this mini-review, only 21 studies that have conducted post-hoc analyses to explore the influence of psychiatric disorders or problem gambling subtypes on gambling outcomes from different types of treatment were identified. The findings of these studies suggest that most gambling treatments are not contraindicated by psychiatric disorders. Moreover, only 6 randomized studies comparing the efficacy of interventions targeted towards specific comorbidity subgroups with a control/comparison group were identified. The results of these studies provide preliminary evidence for modified dialectical behavior therapy for comorbid substance use, the addition of naltrexone to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for comorbid alcohol use problems, and the addition of N-acetylcysteine to tobacco support programs and imaginal desensitisation/motivational interviewing for comorbid nicotine dependence. They also suggest that lithium for comorbid bipolar disorder, escitalopram for comorbid anxiety disorders, and the addition of CBT to standard drug treatment for comorbid schizophrenia may be effective. Future research evaluating interventions sequenced according to disorder severity or the functional relationship between the gambling behavior and comorbid symptomatology, identifying psychiatric disorders as moderators of the efficacy of problem gambling interventions, and evaluating interventions matched to client comorbidity could advance this immature field of study.

APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING IN AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

I utilized state the art remote sensing and GIS (Geographical Information System) techniques to study large scale biological, physical and ecological processes of coastal, nearshore, and offshore waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. These processes ranged from chlorophyll a and primary production time series analysies in Lake Michigan to coastal stamp sand threats on Buffalo Reef in Lake Superior. I used SeaWiFS (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor) satellite imagery to trace various biological, chemical and optical water properties of Lake Michigan during the past decade and to investigate the collapse of early spring primary production. Using spatial analysis techniques, I was able to connect these changes to some important biological processes of the lake (quagga mussels filtration). In a separate study on Lake Superior, using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and aerial photos, we examined natural coastal erosion in Grand Traverse Bay, Michigan, and discussed a variety of geological features that influence general sediment accumulation patterns and interactions with migrating tailings from legacy mining. These sediments are moving southwesterly towards Buffalo Reef, creating a threat to the lake trout and lake whitefish breeding ground.

Distribution of Light in the Human Retina under Natural Viewing Conditions

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness inAmerica. The fact that AMD wreaks most of the damage in the center of the retina raises the question of whether light, integrated over long periods, is more concentrated in the macula. A method, based on eye-tracking, was developed to measure the distribution of light in the retina under natural viewing conditions. The hypothesis was that integrated over time, retinal illumination peaked in the macula. Additionally a possible relationship between age and retinal illumination was investigated. The eye tracker superimposed the subject’s gaze position on a video recorded by a scene camera. Five informed subjects were employed in feasibility tests, and 58 naïve subjects participated in 5 phases. In phase 1 the subjects viewed a gray-scale image. In phase 2, they observed a sequence of photographic images. In phase 3 they viewed a video. In phase 4, they worked on a computer; in phase 5, the subjects walked around freely. The informed subjects were instructed to gaze at bright objects in the field of view and then at dark objects. Naïve subjects were allowed to gaze freely for all phases. Using the subject’s gaze coordinates, and the video provided by the scene camera, the cumulative light distribution on the retina was calculated for ~15° around the fovea. As expected for control subjects, cumulative retinal light distributions peaked and dipped in the fovea when they gazed at bright or dark objects respectively. The light distribution maps obtained from the naïve subjects presented a tendency to peak in the macula for phases 1, 2, and 3, a consistent tendency in phase 4 and a variable tendency in phase 5. The feasibility of using an eye-tracker system to measure the distribution of light in the retina was demonstrated, thus helping to understand the role played by light exposure in the etiology of AMD. Results showed that a tendency for light to peak in the macula is a characteristic of some individuals and of certain tasks. In these situations, risk of AMD could be increased. No significant difference was observed based on age.

Landscapes of the dead: history and memory in a distant field of murder

Cemeteries are landscapes of the dead, places in which we hide our memories for the living to stumble across while they're stretching their legs in small country towns. Some time ago I stumbled across a remarkable memory at Camperdown, in Victoria's Western District. Or, rather, it loomed over me. Erected in the late 1880s, the seven-metre obelisk of grey granite marked the burial place of Wombeetch Puyuun, or Oombete Pooyan, known locally as Camperdown George, who has believed at the time to be the last surviving Djargurd wurrung person.

The SLUGGS survey: a new mask design to reconstruct the stellar populations and kinematics of both inner and outer galaxy regions

Integral field unit spectrographs allow the 2D exploration of the kinematics and stellar populations of galaxies, although they are generally restricted to small fields-of-view. Using the large field-of-view of the DEIMOS multislit spectrograph on Keck and our Stellar Kinematics using Multiple Slits technique, we are able to extract sky-subtracted stellar light spectra to large galactocentric radii. Here, we present a new DEIMOS mask design named SuperSKiMS that explores large spatial scales without sacrificing high spatial sampling. We simulate a set of observations with such a mask design on the nearby galaxy NGC 1023, measuring stellar kinematics and metallicities out to where the galaxy surface brightness is orders of magnitude fainter than the sky. With this technique we also reproduce the results from literature integral field spectroscopy in the innermost galaxy regions. In particular, we use the simulated NGC 1023 kinematics to model its total mass distribution to large radii, obtaining comparable results with those from published integral field unit observation. Finally, from new spectra of NGC 1023, we obtain stellar 2D kinematics and metallicity distributions that show good agreement with integral field spectroscopy results in the overlapping regions. In particular, we do not find a significant offset between our Stellar Kinematics using Multiple Slits and the ATLAS3D stellar velocity dispersion at the same spatial locations.