Cascade effects on the irradiation stability of amorphous SiOC

We studied the heavy ion radiation tolerance of amorphous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) alloys by in situ Kr ion irradiation within a transmission electron microscopy. The amorphous SiOC thin films were grown via co-sputtering from SiO₂ and SiC targets on a surface-oxidized Si (100) substrate. These films were irradiated by 1 MeV Kr ions at both room temperature and 300 °C with damage levels up to 5 displacements per atom (dpa). TEM characterization shows no sign of crystallization, void formation or segregation in all irradiated samples. Our findings suggest that SiOC alloys are a class of promising radiation tolerant materials.     

Hydrogen-assisted damage in austenite/martensite dual-phase steel

For understanding the underlying hydrogen embrittlement mechanism in transformation-induced plasticity steels, the process of damage evolution in a model austenite/martensite dual-phase microstructure following hydrogenation was investigated through multi-scale electron channelling contrast imaging and in situ optical microscopy. Localized diffusible hydrogen in martensite causes cracking through two mechanisms: (1) interaction between {1?1?0}_M localized slip and {1?1?2}_M twin and (2) cracking of martensite–martensite grain interfaces. The former resulted in nanovoids along the {1?1?2}_M twin. The coalescence of the nanovoids generated plate-like microvoids. The latter caused shear localization on the specific plane where the crack along the martensite/martensite boundary exists, which led to additional martensite/martensite boundary cracking.     

MINDING QUANTA AND COSMOLOGY

The revolution in science inaugurated by quantum physics has made us aware of the role of observation in the construction of data. Eugene Wigner remarked that in quantum physics we no longer have observables (invariants), only observations. Tongue in cheek, I asked him whether that meant that quantum physics is really psychology, expecting a gruff reply to my sassiness. Instead, Wigner beamed understanding and replied "Yes, yes, that's exactly correct." David Bohm pointed out that were we to look at the cosmos without the lenses of our telescopes we would see a hologram. I extend Bohm's insight to the lens in the optics of the eye. The receptor processes of the ear and skin work in a similar fashion. Without these lenses and lenslike operations all of our perceptions would be entangled as in a hologram. Furthermore, the retina absorbs quanta of radiation so that quantum physics uses the very perceptions that become formed by it. In turn, higher-order brain systems send signals to the sensory receptors so that what we perceive is often as much a result of earlier rather than just immediate experience. This influence from inside out becomes especially relevant to our interpretation of how we experience the contents and bounds of cosmology that come to us by way of radiation.     

非小细胞肺癌放疗时机和放疗方式的临床决策

放射治疗是非小细胞肺癌的主要治疗手段之一。大约有3／4的肺癌患者在疾病的不同时期需要做放射治疗。针对不同的患者可以选择根治性放疗、姑息性放疗、术前、术后、放化疗联合治疗等不同的治疗方式。从治疗技术上还可以选择适形、调强、立体定向放疗等。临床医生需要辨证地应用循证医学证据,针对不同的患者刺定合理的个体化治疗方案,以提高疗效。     

Socrates on How Wrongdoing Damages the Soul

There has been little scholarly attention given to explaining exactly how and why Socrates thinks that wrongdoing damages the soul. But there is more than a simple gap in the literature here, we shall argue. The most widely accepted view of Socratic moral psychology, we claim, actually leaves this well-known feature of Socrates’ philosophy absolutely inexplicable. In the first section of this paper, we rehearse this view of Socratic moral psychology, and explain its inadequacy on the issue of the damaging consequences of wrongdoing. We then go on to provide our own account of the way in which injustice damages the soul, and then draw conclusions about how Socratic moral psychology should be understood.     

心理应激与DNA损害

心理应激不仅能使人的行为特征发生变化,而且也能使人的生理状况发生改变,因此,被认为是某些身心疾病的诱因。在此过程中,DNA损害是心理应激造成的最终结果之一。有关DNA损害,虽然以往的研究者以人或动物为对象进行了一系列急性应激和慢性应激的实验研究,但是,心理应激是如何造成DNA损害的过程还不清楚,具体的生理心理机制还未阐明。该文利用健康心理学提出的理论模型对此进行了分析,阐述了心理应激与DNA损害之间联系的可能的机制,强调了氧化应激在这一过程中的重要作用。同时,为临床制订预防疾病的干预措施提供了思路     

Cosmology: What One Needs to Know

Cosmology, the study of the universe, has a past, which is reviewed here. The standard model—the Big Bang, or the hot, dense early universe that is still expanding—is based on observations that are basically consistent but which require additional input to improve the agreement. Out of the early universe came the galaxies and stars that shine today. The future of the universe depends on the density of matter: too much mass leads to the Big Crunch; too little leads to eternal expans ion and cooling. The dark-matter problem prevents us from knowing which will be the fate of the universe. Thelimits of what may be called "scientific" are addressed.     

中美医疗损害责任制度改革之比较研究

医疗损害责任已成为现代社会普遍的医疗法律问题。中美两国医疗损害责任制度改革正朝着相反的方向发展。诉讼机制在美国医疗损害责任中的作用由强变弱，医疗诉讼起诉由易变难，医疗损害赔偿由不限制到相对限制，行政管理式的医疗过错责任制度由无到逐渐提议。我国医疗损害责任制度改革恰恰相反，即诉讼制度的作用由弱变强、医疗损害起诉由难到易，医疗损害赔偿由相对限制到不限制、行政管理式的医疗过错责任制度从有到无。我国医疗损害责任制度的改革趋势值得反思。建议借鉴美国医疗损害责任制度改革的经验。     

Does exercise-induced muscle damage impair subsequent motor skill learning?

Motor skill learning is a fundamental aspect of human behavior based on the calibration of internal models via sensory information such as proprioception. Some conditions, as exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), disrupt proprioceptive information, and may cause learning impairment. Such possible relation between EIMD and motor skill learning has not yet been investigated and it is the aim of this study. For this purpose, thirty male university students (19.3 ± 1.8 years) were equally assigned to two groups: EIMD and CON group. The EIMD group received a treatment to induce muscle damage consisting of a weight lifting protocol directed to the agonist muscles related to the task prior to the pretest and to the learning sessions. EIMD was verified and compared between groups and along the process (0–168 h) by means of the degree of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), perceived total quality recovery and maximal isometric strength (MIS). To investigate motor skill learning, both groups practiced a dart throwing task for four sessions with 150 trials in each session. Recovery status and DOMS were recovered at 96 h in the EIMD group, and MIS was not recovered throughout 168 h. In contrast, muscle damage parameters were not altered across 168 h in the CON group. Accuracy and consistency were compared within and between groups in a pretest posttest design. The EIMD group showed less accurate and consistent results on the long term (delayed posttest). Results confirmed our hypothesis that EIMD, a common condition in sports and in rehab practices, may hinder motor skill learning, possibly due to neurological aspects such as proprioceptive information, its relation to central nervous system reorganization and internal model consolidation.     

The effects of stress on dna repair capacity

Abstract

Research has shown that lymphocytes of high-distress patients have reduced DNA repair relative to that of low-distress patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, deficits in repair are associated with an increased risk of cancer. Using and academic stress model, we hypothesized that students would exhibit lower levels of Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) during a stressful exam period when compared to a lower stress period. Participants were 19 healthy graduate level students. NER was measured in lymphocytes using the unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) assay with slide autoradiography. Contrary to prediction, mean values for NER significantly increased during the higher stress period relative to the lower stress period controlling for background differences in repair. Furthermore, lymphocytes had significantly increased repair of endogenous damage during the higher stress period. Stress appears to directly increase DNA repair. Additionally, stress may increase DNA repair indirectly by increasing damage to DNA.