Dirac oscillator in an external magnetic field

We show that 2+1 dimensional Dirac oscillators in an external magnetic field is mapped onto the same with reduced angular frequency in absence of magnetic field. This can be used to study the atomic transitions in a radiation field. Relativistic Landau levels are constructed explicitly. Several interesting features of this system are discussed.Comment: Revised Version, Latex, 9 pages, No figs, To appear in Phys. Lett.

Skin picking treatment with the Rothbaum cognitive behavioral therapy protocol : a randomized clinical trial

Introduction: Although behavioral therapies can effectively treat skin picking disorder (SPD), there is no standardized treatment for improving SPD and its comorbidities and there is no group intervention option. This trial aimed to adapt the Rothbaum trichotillomania protocol to SPD (Study 1) and test its efficacy for treating SPD and comorbidities in individual and group formats (Study 2). Methods: The adapted protocol was applied to 16 SPD patients, who were allocated to group or individual treatment (Study 1). Afterwards, 54 patients were randomly allocated to treatment in an individual (n=27) or group format (n=27) (Study 2). In both studies, assessments of SPD severity, anxiety, depression, clinical status and skin lesion severity were performed at baseline and the endpoint. Results: The adapted protocol was feasible in both treatment modalities (Study 1) and led to high SPD remission rates (individual 63%; group 52%), with no significant difference between intervention types (p = 0.4) (Study 2). SPD, anxiety, and depression symptoms and objective patient lesion measures improved after treatment. There was large effect size for SPD symptom improvement in both treatment types (Cohen’s d: group = 0.88; individual = 1.15) (Study 2). Conclusion: The adapted Rothbaum protocol was effective for SPD remission, comorbidities, and skin lesions, both in individual and group formats

Noncommutative Dirac oscillator in an external magnetic field

We show that (2+1) dimensional noncommutative Dirac oscillator in an external magnetic field is mapped onto the same but with reduced angular frequency in absence of magnetic field. We construct the relativistic Landau levels by solving corresponding Dirac equation in (2+1) dimensional noncommutative phase space. We observe that lowest Landau levels are exactly same as in commutative space and independent of non-commutative parameter. All the Landau levels become independent of noncommutative parameter for a critical value of the magnetic field. Several other interesting features along with the relevance of such models in the study of atomic transitions in a radiation field have been discussed.Comment: 10 pages, Np figs, communicated to journal. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:0907.454

Rickettsioses in Latin America, Caribbean, Spain and Portugal

Data on genus and infectious by Rickettsia were retrospectively compiled from the critical review literature regarding all countries in Latin America, Caribbean islands, Portugal and Spain. We considered all Rickettsia records reported for human and/or animal hosts, and/or invertebrate hosts considered being the vector. In a few cases, when no direct detection of a given Rickettsia group or species was available for a given country, the serologic method was considered. A total of 13 Rickettsia species have been recorded in Latin America and the Caribbean. The species with the largest number of country confirmed records were Rickettsia felis (9 countries), R. prowazekii (7 countries), R. typhi (6 countries), R. rickettsii (6 countries), R. amblyommii (5 countries), and R. parkeri (4 countries). The rickettsial records for the Caribbean islands (West Indies) were grouped in only one geographical area. Both R. bellii, R. akari, and Candidatus ‘R. andeane’ have been recorded in only 2 countries each, whereas R. massiliae, R. rhipicephali, R.monteiroi, and R. africae have each been recorded in a single country (in this case, R. africae has been recorded in nine Caribbean Islands). For El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, no specific Rickettsia has been reported so far, but there have been serological evidence of human or/and animal infection. The following countries remain without any rickettsial records: Belize, Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, and Paraguay. In addition, except for a few islands, many Caribbean islands remain without records. A total of 12 Rickettsia species have been reported in Spain and Portugal: R. conorii, R. helvetica, R. monacensis, R. felis, R. slovaca, R. raoultii, R. sibirica, R. aeschlimannii, R. rioja, R. massiliae, R. typhi, and R. prowazekii. Amongst these Rickettsia species reported in Spain and Portugal, only R. prowazekii, R. typhi, R. felis, and R. massiliae have also been reported in Latin America. This study summarizes the current state of art on the rickettsial distribution in Latin America, Caribbean, Spain and Portugal. The data obtained allow a better understanding on rickettsial epidemiology and distribution of vector ecology.Reportes del genero Rickettsia y sus asociadas infecciones fueron compilados en una revisión crítica retrospectiva de la literatura científica de los países de Latinoamérica, el Caribe, Portugal y España. Se consideraron todos los reportes para huéspedes humanos y/o animales y también para huéspedes invertebrados los cuales fueron considerados como vectores asociados con Rickettsia. En algunos casos, cuando no existió detección directa a un determinado grupo de rickettsias o especies no disponible en un país, se tuvo en cuenta la detección indirecta por serología. Un total de 13 especies de Rickettsia han sido reportadas en Latinoamérica y el Caribe. Las especies más encontradas en los países fueron: Rickettsia felis (9 países), R. prowazekii (7 países), R. typhi (6 países), R. rickettsii (6 países), R. amblyommii (5 países) y R. parkeri (4 países). Los datos de las islas del Caribe (antillas menores o Indias occidentales), fueron agrupados en una sola área geográfica como un solo país. Ambas R. bellii, R. akari y Candidatus ‘R. andeane’ fueron reportadas en solo 2 países, mientras que R. massiliae, R. rhipicephali, R.monteiroi, y R. africae fueron informadas en un solo país. En este caso R. africae fue reportada en 9 islas de las Antillas menores. Para El Salvador, Honduras y Nicaragua, hasta ahora no se han reportado especies de Rickettsia, pero si evidencia serológica de infección humana y/o animal. Sin reportes de infección por Rickettsia permanecen: Belice, Venezuela, Guayana, Surinam y Paraguay. Además, a excepción de algunas islas del Caribe, muchas de ellas permanecen sin reportes. Un total de 12 especies de Rickettsia han sido documentadas en España y Portugal: R. conorii, R. helvetica, R. monacensis, R. felis, R. slovaca, R. raoultii, R. sibirica, R. aeschlimannii, R. rioja, R. massiliae, R. typhi y R. prowazekii. Entre estas, solamente R. prowazekii, R. typhi, R. felis y R. massiliae han sido documentados en Latinoamérica, España y Portugal. Los datos de este estudio permiten entender mejor la epidemiología de las rickettsias en Latinoamérica, Caribe, España y Portugal, y la distribución de los vectores

El nicho ecológico de los hominidos del Pleistoceno Medio de Atapuerca.

Sin resume

Complicações da Punção de Veia Profunda em um Hospital de Câncer

Em um período de 5 meses, nós realizamos um estudo prospectivo a fim de avaliar a frequência de complicações associadas com a colocação de catéter venoso central no Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro. A frequência encontrada foi de 28,7%. A maioria das complicações que resultaram em grande morbidade foram encontradas na cateterização da veia subclávia. Observamos uma grande incidência de hematoma como complicação, provavelmente associada com anormalidades anatômicas dos pacientes

Pain impact on life of patients with temporomandibular disorder

A study on the impact of pain in patients with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) was carried out. Twenty two patients (20 women, two men, 28 years of age on average) with TMD who looked for specialized physiotherapy care were submitted to a brazilian version of McGill Pain Questionnaire (Br-MPQ), which includes questions about life quality, as follows: 1) social loss; 2) daily life activities; 3) third party?s perception; 4) pain tolerance; 5) sensation of being sick; 6) sensation of being useless; 7) life satisfaction. The results showed that pain related to the TMD significantly affected work activities (59.09%), school activities (59.09%), sleeping (68.18%) and appetite/feeding (63.64%). The authors conclude that pain from TMD has a negative impact on the patients? life quality and that, although unspecific, the questionnaire used allowed for an adequate evaluation of the impact.Foi realizado um estudo do impacto da dor na vida de indivíduos portadores de disfunção da articulação temporomandibular (DTM). Foram estudados 22 pacientes (20 mulheres e dois homens, com idade média de 28 anos) portadores de DTM que procuraram atendimento fisioterapêutico especializado, submetidos a uma versão brasileira do Questionário McGill de Dor (Br-MPQ), que inclui questões específicas sobre a qualidade de vida, como: 1) prejuízo social; 2) atividades da vida diária; 3) percepção do outro; 4) tolerância à dor; 5) sensação de estar doente; 6) sensação de utilidade; 7) satisfação com a vida. Os resultados mostraram que a dor da DTM prejudicou as atividades do trabalho (59,09%), da escola (59,09%), o sono (68,18%) e o apetite/alimentação (63,64%). Os autores concluíram que a dor da DTM tem um impacto negativo na qualidade de vida do paciente e que o questionário empregado, embora não específico, permitiu avalia-lo adequadamente.138143Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Impacto da dor na vida de portadores de disfunção temporomandibular

Foi realizado um estudo do impacto da dor na vida de indivíduos portadores de disfunção da articulação temporomandibular (DTM). Foram estudados 22 pacientes (20 mulheres e dois homens, com idade média de 28 anos) portadores de DTM que procuraram atendimento fisioterapêutico especializado, submetidos a uma versão brasileira do Questionário McGill de Dor (Br-MPQ), que inclui questões específicas sobre a qualidade de vida, como: 1) prejuízo social; 2) atividades da vida diária; 3) percepção do outro; 4) tolerância à dor; 5) sensação de estar doente; 6) sensação de utilidade; 7) satisfação com a vida. Os resultados mostraram que a dor da DTM prejudicou as atividades do trabalho (59,09%), da escola (59,09%), o sono (68,18%) e o apetite/alimentação (63,64%). Os autores concluíram que a dor da DTM tem um impacto negativo na qualidade de vida do paciente e que o questionário empregado, embora não específico, permitiu avalia-lo adequadamente.A study on the impact of pain in patients with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) was carried out. Twenty two patients (20 women, two men, 28 years of age on average) with TMD who looked for specialized physiotherapy care were submitted to a brazilian version of McGill Pain Questionnaire (Br-MPQ), which includes questions about life quality, as follows: 1) social loss; 2) daily life activities; 3) third partys perception; 4) pain tolerance; 5) sensation of being sick; 6) sensation of being useless; 7) life satisfaction. The results showed that pain related to the TMD significantly affected work activities (59.09%), school activities (59.09%), sleeping (68.18%) and appetite/feeding (63.64%). The authors conclude that pain from TMD has a negative impact on the patients life quality and that, although unspecific, the questionnaire used allowed for an adequate evaluation of the impact

Artificial graphene as a tunable Dirac material

Artificial honeycomb lattices offer a tunable platform to study massless Dirac quasiparticles and their topological and correlated phases. Here we review recent progress in the design and fabrication of such synthetic structures focusing on nanopatterning of two-dimensional electron gases in semiconductors, molecule-by-molecule assembly by scanning probe methods, and optical trapping of ultracold atoms in crystals of light. We also discuss photonic crystals with Dirac cone dispersion and topologically protected edge states. We emphasize how the interplay between single-particle band structure engineering and cooperative effects leads to spectacular manifestations in tunneling and optical spectroscopies.Comment: Review article, 14 pages, 5 figures, 112 Reference

Do dental nonmetric traits actually work as proxies for neutral genomic data? Some answers from continental- and global-level analyses

Objectives: Crown and root traits, like those in the Arizona State University Dental Anthropology System (ASUDAS), are seemingly useful as genetic proxies. However, recent studies report mixed results concerning their heritability, and ability to assess variation to the level of genomic data. The aim is to test further if such traits can approximate genetic relatedness, among continental and global samples. Materials and Methods: First, for 12 African populations, Mantel correlations were calculated between mean measure of divergence (MMD) distances from up to 36 ASUDAS traits, and FST distances from >350,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among matched dental and genetic samples. Second, among 32 global samples, MMD and FST distances were again compared. Correlations were also calculated between them and inter-sample geographic distances to further evaluate correspondence. Results: A close ASUDAS/SNP association, based on MMD and FST correlations, is evident, with rm-values between .72 globally and .84 in Africa. The same is true concerning their association with geographic distances, from .68 for a 36-trait African MMD to .77 for FST globally; one exception is FST and African geographic distances, rm = 0.49. Partial MMD/FST correlations controlling for geographic distances are strong for Africa (.78) and moderate globally (.4). Discussion: Relative to prior studies, MMD/FST correlations imply greater dental and genetic correspondence; for studies allowing direct comparison, the present correlations are markedly stronger. The implication is that ASUDAS traits are reliable proxies for genetic data—a positive conclusion, meaning they can be used with or instead of genomic markers when the latter are unavailable