Acupuncture in the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy and affects up to one third of patients with diabetes. The pathophysiology of DPN is unknown, making it difficult to treat. Pharmacological treatments have limited efficacy and substantial side effects. Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years in China and other Asian countries and is accepted by Western culture as a complimentary therapy for pain relief. Though further research is needed, existing studies evaluating acupuncture as a treatment for DPN look promising. With a positive risk-benefit ratio compared to other available treatments, acupuncture is a viable treatment option for DPN. The purposes of this paper are to review the literature on the use of acupuncture for the treatment of DPN and to offer recommendations for nurse practitioners in the United States. This paper examines the literature on (1) the disease characteristics and management of DPN, (2) the physiology and use of acupuncture in Eastern and Western health care, and (3) the evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of peripheral neuropathy and DPN. Recommendations for nurse practitioners in the United States and for further research are then discussed

Brasília in the Age of the Earth: notes for a figural analysis

This article aims at providing elements for the interpretation of three different sequences of the film A Idade da Terra (The Age of the Earth), by Glauber Rocha, using the method of figural analysis developed by Philippe Dubois. The sequences selected are set in the city of Brasília. In this article we will analyze the city’s role in the film’s discourse as a way of constructing a myth of modernity and the way the characters act in the given space. Considering the fact that a conclusive analysis cannot be achieved in this article, its purpose is to propose new analytical perspectives on subsequent sequences and to draw comparisons between the imagery of The Age of the Earth and other movies by Glauber Rocha.Este artigo pretende apontar elementos para a leitura e interpretação de três sequências do filme A Idade da Terra, de Glauber Rocha, a partir do método de análise figural, tal como desenvolvido por Philippe Dubois. As sequências selecionadas são aquelas que têm a cidade de Brasília como locação no filme. Analisaremos a presença da cidade no discurso fílmico enquanto construção de um mito da modernidade e a interação dos personagens com o espaço circundante. Este ensaio abre caminho para a leitura de outras sequências do mesmo filme e a comparação entre os eventos de imagem de A Idade da Terra e outros filmes do diretor.El presente artículo pretende proponer elementos para la lectura e interpretación de trés secuencias de la película A Idade da Terra, de Glauber Rocha, utilizando el método de análisis figural, desarrollado por Philippe Dubois. Las secuencias analizadas se pasan en la ciudad de Brasília. Analizaremos la presencia de la ciudad en el discurso fílmico como construcción de un mito de modernidad y la interacción de los roles en el espacio. Considerando la imposibilidad de un análisis conclusivo en el presente artículo, se propone nuevas perspectivas de análisis de escenas subsiguientes y comparaciones entre eventos imageticos en A Idade da Terra y otras películas de Glauber Rocha

Breakdown of linear dielectric theory for the interaction between hydrated ions and graphene

Many vital processes taking place in electrolytes, such as nanoparticle self-assembly, water purification, and the operation of aqueous supercapacitors, rely on the precise many-body interactions between surfaces and ions in water. Here we study the interaction between a hydrated ion and a charge-neutral graphene layer using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. For small separations, the ion–graphene repulsion is of nonelectrostatic nature, and for intermediate separations, van der Waals attraction becomes important. Contrary to prevailing theory, we show that nonlinear and tensorial dielectric effects become non-negligible close to surfaces, even for monovalent ions. This breakdown of standard isotropic linear dielectric theory has important consequences for the understanding and modeling of charged objects at surfaces

Announcing the Third Annual Credit Conference

News release announcing the third annual Credit Conference conducted at the University of Dayton

Influence of polar co-solutes and salt on the hydration of lipid membranes

The influence of the co-solutes TMAO, urea, and NaCl on the hydration repulsion between lipid membranes is investigated in a combined experimental/simulation approach. Pressure–hydration curves obtained via sorption experiments reveal that the repulsion significantly increases when the membranes are loaded with co-solutes, most strongly for TMAO. As a result, the co-solutes retain additional water molecules and therefore provide membranes with a fluid and more physiological environment. The experimental data are quantitatively reproduced in complementary solvent-explicit atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, which yield the chemical potential of water. Simulation analysis reveals that the additional repulsion arises from the osmotic pressure generated by the co-solutes, an effect which is maximal for TMAO, due to its unfavorable interactions with the lipid headgroup layer and its extraordinarily high osmotic coefficient