20 research outputs found
Patination with non-toxic solutions
No full text1996 Fall.Area research paper.Presented to Professor Nilda Getty.This thesis explores the inspirations and passions which transform my ideas into physical forms. My thesis work is the integration of the visual, the tactile and my personal spiritual search through my experiences with nature. As an artist, it is important for me to represent a visual balance, combined with tactile qualities, to create a sense of movement. This is achieved by layering metals such as copper, sterling silver and brass. In combination with the traditional metalsmithing techniques of embossing, granulation, anticlasitic forming and raising, I create work which has life and takes the viewer on a visual journey. The visual balance and sense of movement is created with various openings that pierce the metal, and also by playing with space and the asymmetry of form. I combine shapes, which have been stretched and textured. Finally, the pieces are soldered together to create rushing, exciting movement. I combine my vision of distant shores, the eyes of aspen trees and my interest in visual illusions and texture to create my metal work
The American jewelry revolution 1940-1960
No full textArt history seminar.AR 592.April 30, 1998.This thesis explores the inspirations and passions which transform my ideas into physical forms. My thesis work is the integration of the visual, the tactile and my personal spiritual search through my experiences with nature. As an artist, it is important for me to represent a visual balance, combined with tactile qualities, to create a sense of movement. This is achieved by layering metals such as copper, sterling silver and brass. In combination with the traditional metalsmithing techniques of embossing, granulation, anticlasitic forming and raising, I create work which has life and takes the viewer on a visual journey. The visual balance and sense of movement is created with various openings that pierce the metal, and also by playing with space and the asymmetry of form. I combine shapes, which have been stretched and textured. Finally, the pieces are soldered together to create rushing, exciting movement. I combine my vision of distant shores, the eyes of aspen trees and my interest in visual illusions and texture to create my metal work
Rhythm of the forest and distant shores
No full textIncludes bibliographical references.This thesis explores the inspirations and passions which transform my ideas into physical forms. My thesis work is the integration of the visual, the tactile and my personal spiritual search through my experiences with nature. As an artist, it is important for me to represent a visual balance, combined with tactile qualities, to create a sense of movement. This is achieved by layering metals such as copper, sterling silver and brass. In combination with the traditional metalsmithing techniques of embossing, granulation, anticlasitic forming and raising, I create work which has life and takes the viewer on a visual journey. The visual balance and sense of movement is created with various openings that pierce the metal, and also by playing with space and the asymmetry of form. I combine shapes, which have been stretched and textured. Finally, the pieces are soldered together to create rushing, exciting movement. I combine my vision of distant shores, the eyes of aspen trees and my interest in visual illusions and texture to create my metal work
Exploring early Acheulian technological decision-making: A controlled experimental approach to raw material selection for percussive artifacts in Melka Wakena, Ethiopia.
No full textThe evolution of human behaviour is marked by key decision-making processes reflected in technological variability in the early archaeological record. As part of the technological system, differences in raw material quality directly affect the way that humans produce, design and use stone tools. The selection, procurement and use of various raw materials requires decision-making to evaluate multiple factors such as suitability to produce and design tools, but also the materials' efficiency and durability in performing a given task. Therefore, characterizing the physical properties of various lithic raw materials is crucial for exploring changes in human interactions with their natural environment through time and space and for understanding their technological behaviour. In this paper, we present the first step in an ongoing program designed to understand the decision-making criteria involved in the use of raw materials by the early Acheulian tool-makers at the Melka Wakena (MW) site-complex, located on the Ethiopian highlands. We present the results of the first experimental step, in which we identified and measured the engineering properties of raw materials in the lithic assemblages. These data serve as an objective, quantifiable baseline for natural experiments as well as archaeological inquiries into the technological decision-making processes of early Pleistocene hominins in Africa
Phytochemical Screening and In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Swietenia mahagoni Leaf Extract against Streptococcus mutans: A Promising Natural Approach for Caries Prevention
No full textBackground: Dental caries, primarily caused by Streptococcus mutans, is a prevalent oral health issue. The rise of antibiotic resistance and side effects of synthetic antimicrobials have fueled the search for plant-derived alternatives. Swietenia mahagoni (mahogany) leaves, traditionally used for medicinal purposes, exhibit potential antibacterial properties. This study investigated the phytochemical composition and in vitro antibacterial activity of S. mahagoni leaf extracts against S. mutans.
Methods: S. mahagoni leaves were collected, processed, and extracted using ethanol. Phytochemical screening identified alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and saponins. Antibacterial activity was assessed through the agar well diffusion method against S. mutans, using various extract concentrations (25%, 50%, 75%) and chlorhexidine as a positive control. Inhibition zone diameters were measured to determine antibacterial efficacy.
Results: Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and saponins in the S. mahagoni leaf extract. The extract demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against S. mutans at all concentrations. The highest concentration (75%) showed the largest inhibition zone (18.07 ± 0.37 mm), significantly larger than those of lower concentrations and the positive control (chlorhexidine, 13.87 ± 0.21 mm).
Conclusion: S. mahagoni leaf extract exhibits substantial antibacterial activity against S. mutans, likely due to its diverse phytochemical content. These findings suggest its potential as a natural anti-caries agent. Further research is needed to explore its use in developing novel oral health products
Regenerative and adjunctive surgical strategies in peri-implantitis: A mini-review
No full textPeri-implantitis is a major biological complication that threatens the long-term success of dental implants. The progression from peri-implant mucositis to advanced bone loss often necessitates a shift from non-surgical to surgical treatment, although the most effective management protocols remain under debate. This mini-review aims to evaluate and compare clinical outcomes of three distinct approaches to peri-implantitis management: the diagnostic necessity of surgical access, conventional guided bone regeneration (GBR) combined with antibiotics, and adjunctive topical oxygen therapy. A narrative review was conducted, and three representative clinical case reports were purposively selected for detailed analysis. These cases illustrate different therapeutic strategies currently applied in clinical practice. The findings emphasize that surgical intervention is crucial for halting disease progression when non-surgical access proves inadequate. Conventional GBR supplemented with local antibiotics provided exceptional stability during a 17-year follow-up period. In contrast, the application of a topical oxygen gel (BlueM) yielded encouraging 5-year outcomes, demonstrating reduced inflammation and enhanced bone regeneration without the use of antibiotics. The success of all treatment modalities depended heavily on meticulous surface decontamination and thorough defect debridement. Surgical management of peri-implantitis should be tailored to the specific defect morphology. While GBR with antibiotics remains a well-established long-term reference, adjunctive oxygen therapy offers a promising non-antibiotic alternative for infection control. Further randomized controlled trials are warranted to establish standardized clinical protocols
Does ICT Investment Matter for Growth and Labor Productivity in Transition Economies?
No full textFollowing up on a previous paper by the same author on the contribution of ICT capital to growth and labor productivity in Poland 1995-2000, this paper extends the study to eight transition economies: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Slovakia and Slovenia. The paper shows that the contribution of investment in IT hardware, software and telecommunication equipment to output growth and labor productivity between 1995 and 2000 in most countries featured in the study was much higher than what might be expected on the basis of the level of their GDP per capita. This may suggest that the transition economies – through the use of ICT - are benefiting from the technological leapfrogging to increase the growth rates in output and labor productivity and hence accelerate the process of catching-up. The relatively large contribution of ICT capital to output growth and labor productivity is due to an extraordinary acceleration in real ICT investments, which were growing between 1995 and 2000 at an average rate of more than 20% a year for almost all countries in the study. Large investments in ICT seem to have been induced by (i) falling prices of ICT products and services, which encouraged companies to substitute ICT for non-ICT capital and (ii) an opportunity for higher-than-normal returns on ICT investments due to a large pent-up demand for ICT infrastructure, a legacy of decapitalization and technological gap existing before 1989.economic growth, post-communist countries, information technology, growth accounting
Immunohistochemistry-derived subtypes of breast cancer distribution in four regions of Ethiopia
No full textPurpose: Different biological characteristics, therapeutic responses, and diseasespecific
outcomes are associated with different molecular subtypes of breast
cancer (BC). Although there have been different studies on BC in the Ethiopian
capital city of Addis Ababa, there have been few studies in other parts of the
nation, and none have evaluated biological characteristics in other locations in
the context of the extensive ethnic and genetic diversity found in Ethiopia. This
study was carried out to evaluate the distribution of immunohistochemistry (IHC)
subtypes of BCs throughout four Ethiopian regions.
Methods: A total of 227 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks
were collected from tertiary hospitals in four Ethiopian regions between 2015
and 2021. The IHC staining was performed for subtyping, ER, PR, HER2, and Ki-67
proliferation markers.
Frontiers in Endocrinology 01 frontiersin.org
OPEN ACCESS
EDITED BY
Shahin Sayed,
Aga Khan University Hospital, Kenya
REVIEWED BY
Sallie Schneider,
Baystate Medical Center, United States
Dana Carmen Zaha,
University of Oradea, Romania
Tjokorda Gde Bagus Mahadewa,
Udayana University, Indonesia
*CORRESPONDENCE
Esmael Besufikad Belachew
[email protected]
†These authors have contributed equally to
this work
RECEIVED 29 June 2023
ACCEPTED 20 October 2023
PUBLISHED 09 November 2023
CITATION
Belachew EB, Desta AF, Gebremariam TY,
Deneke DB, Ashenafi S, Yeshi MM,
Fenta BD, Alem AT/H, Alemu A, Abafogi AK,
Desta T, Chanyalew M, Beshah D, Taylor L,
Bauer M, Tsehay D, Girma S, Melka DS,
Tessema TS, Kantelhardt EJ and Howe R
(2023) Immunohistochemistry-derived
subtypes of breast cancer distribution in
four regions of Ethiopia.
Front. Endocrinol. 14:1250189.
doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1250189
COPYRIGHT
© 2023 Belachew, Desta, Gebremariam,
Deneke, Ashenafi, Yeshi, Fenta, Alem, Alemu,
Abafogi, Desta, Chanyalew, Beshah, Taylor,
Bauer, Tsehay, Girma, Melka, Tessema,
Kantelhardt and Howe. This is an openaccess
article distributed under the terms of
the Creative Commons Attribution License
(CC BY). The use, distribution or
reproduction in other forums is permitted,
provided the original author(s) and the
copyright owner(s) are credited and that
the original publication in this journal is
cited, in accordance with accepted
academic practice. No use, distribution or
reproduction is permitted which does not
comply with these terms.
TYPE Original Research
PUBLISHED 09 November 2023
DOI 10.3389/fendo.2023.1250189
Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 43.9 years. The percentage of ER and
PR-negative tumors were 48.3% and 53.2%, respectively. The IHC subtypes
showed the following distribution: 33.1% triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC),
27.6% luminal B, 25.2% luminal A, and 14.1% HER2 enriched. In multiple logistic
regression analysis, grade III and HER2 positivity were associated with larger
tumor size, and also originating from Jimma compared to Mekele.
Conclusion: Patients with ER-negative, PR-negative, and TNBC were found in
48.3%, 53.2%, and 33.1% of cases, respectively, showing that half the patients
could potentially benefit from endocrine treatment. A considerably high
prevalence of TNBC was reported in our study, demanding additional research
that includes genetic predisposition factors. Additionally, aggressive tumors were
found in a high percentage of younger age groups, which must be considered
when planning personalized treatment strategies
KCTD8 gene and brain growth in adverse intrauterine environment: A genome-wide association study
No full textThe most dramatic growth of the human brain occurs in utero and during the first 2 years of postnatal life. Genesis of the cerebral cortex involves cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis, all of which may be influenced by prenatal environment. Here, we show that variation in KCTD8 (potassium channel tetramerization domain 8) is associated with brain size in female adolescents (rs716890, P = 5.40 × 10 -09). Furthermore, we found that the KCTD8 locus interacts with prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoking vis-à-vis cortical area and cortical folding: In exposed girls only, the KCTD8 locus explains up to 21% of variance. Using head circumference as a proxy of brain size at 7 years of age, we have replicated this gene-environment interaction in an independent sample. We speculate that KCTD8 might modulate adverse effects of smoking during pregnancy on brain development via apoptosis triggered by low intracellular levels of potassium, possibly reducing the number of progenitor cells. © 2012 The Author
The effect of shaping on trapped electron mode stability: an analytical model
No full textA reduced model for trapped electron mode stability has been developed, which incorporates the basic effects of magnetic surface shaping, in particular, elongation and triangularity. This model shows that while elongation is stabilising, though weakly, negative triangularity usually leads to a more unstable plasma. This is in marked contrast with the experimental evidence of a better confinement at negative triangularity, and with recent gyrokinetic linear simulations. This paradox is solved when finite orbit and/or finite mode extent along field lines (mode ballooning) effects are included. These effects give more weight to particles trapped at low bounce angles, which are those that exhibit lower precession frequencies at negative—compared to positive—triangularity. As a result, the interchange growth rate becomes lower at negative triangularity and large temperature gradients, so that negative triangularity appears to have an overall stabilising effect. Mode ballooning appears to play the most important role in this reversal of stability.National Research Foundation (NRF)Published versionThis work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium, funded by the European Union via the Euratom Research and Training Programme (Grant Agreement No. 101052200 EUROfusion) and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 824158 (EoCoE-II). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. This work was supported by the EUROfusion Theory and Advanced Simulation Coordination (E-TASC) initiative under the TSVV-02 (Theory, Simulation, Verification and Validation) ‘Physics Properties of Strongly Shaped Configurations’ project. This research is supported by the National Research Foundation, Singapore. The computational work for this article was partially performed on resources of the National Supercomputing Centre, Singapore (www.nscc.sg)
