Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Municipal biosolids as an alternative nutrient source for bioenergy crops: I. Elephantgrass biomass production and soil responses.

ABSTRACT High-yielding bioenergy crops remove large quantities of soil nutrients. Nutrients must be replenished in a manner that mini-mizes production costs and negative environmental impact. Class A municipal biosolids (MBS) were evaluated as an alternative nutrient source to inorganic fertilizer for ‘Merkeron’ and Chinese Cross elephantgrasses ( Pennisetum purpureum Schum.) in a 2-yr fi eld experiment in Florida. Elephantgrass plots received 0, 33, 67, or 100% of total N applied (350 kg ha –1 yr –1 ) from MBS, with the remainder from NH 4 NO 3 . Dry matter (DM) yield, tissue N and P concentrations and removal, and soil C and P concentrations were assessed. Elephantgrass yield decreased linearly from 24.2 to 20.1 (Merkeron) and 24.3 to 16.9 Mg ha –1 (Chinese Cross) as the percentage of N supplied by MBS increased from 0 to 100. Nitrogen removal decreased from 208 to 127 kg ha –1 yr –1 over the same range of N from MBS. Phosphorus removal ranged from 28 to 43 kg ha –1 yr –1 , but the eff ect of N source was not consistent. Th ere was no eff ect of percentage of N from MBS treatment on soil responses including water-extract-able (WEP), Mehlich-1, or total P, nor was there an eff ect on total C concentration in the Ap horizon. Replacing 33% of N from inorganic fertilizer with N from MBS reduced elephantgrass biomass production 0 to 11%, so there is potential benefi t to includ-ing MBS in a fertilization program for bioenergy crops, even in situations where MBS are limited to P-based application rates.
ESL Pre-service Teachers: What Do They Need?

Due to the increasing numbers in the English as a Second Language (ESL) students entering education institutions in their goal to be professional teachers, universities and teacher education programs are under pressure to accommodate and provide assistance to these students in relation to their significant cultural and language differences (Cruickshank, Newell, & Cole, 2003). These ESL pre-service teachers bring into Australian classrooms a multi-cultural perspective and a bilingual learning experience; however, some of them confront challenges and obstacles due to their language and cultural backgrounds. This study explores the question of what are the ESL pre-service teachers�� perceptions of teaching and learning in a teacher education program, and what support strategies can be adopted to better assist them. These ESL pre-service teachers were encouraged to participate in focus group meetings and semi-structured interviews, surveys were also given to them in relation to their practicum experiences. The findings of this study have important implications for both the current and future ESL pre-service teachers, as well as the Australian teacher education programs. The findings suggest more supportive, inclusive strategies to better support ESL pre-service teachers in their learning to become globally acceptable teachers.
Analysis of phase-transformation dynamics and estimation of amorphous-chalcogenide fraction in phase-change memories

We investigated the current-induced phase transformations in chalcogenide-based memories. By electrical characterization and compact simulation of the memory I - V, we point out the evidence for a stacked distribution of phases as a result of the applied programming pulses. An anomalous cell behavior is also shown, which we explain in terms of parallel phase transition in the cell. A new technique for estimating the amorphous fraction is proposed, requiring only a simple manipulation of I - V characteristics of the memory.
The use of alvimopan for postoperative ileus in small and large bowel resections

Transient ileus is a normal physiologic process after surgery. When prolonged, it is an important contributor to postoperative complications, increased length of stay and increased healthcare costs. Efforts have been made to prevent and manage postoperative ileus; alvimopan is an oral, peripheral μ-opioid receptor antagonist, and the only currently US FDA-approved medication to accelerate the return of gastrointestinal function postoperatively.
The helium abundance and ΔY/ΔZ in lower main-sequence stars

We use nearby K dwarf stars to measure the helium-to-metal enrichment ratio ΔY/ΔZ, a diagnostic of the chemical history of the solar neighbourhood. Our sample of K dwarfs has homogeneously determined effective temperatures, bolometric luminosities and metallicities, allowing us to fit each star to the appropriate stellar isochrone and determine its helium content indirectly. We use a newly computed set of Padova isochrones which cover a wide range of helium and metal content. Our theoretical isochrones have been checked against a congruous set of main-sequence binaries with accurately measured masses, to discuss and validate their range of applicability. We find that the stellar masses deduced from the isochrones are usually in excellent agreement with empirical measurements. Good agreement is also found with empirical mass-luminosity relations. Despite fitting the masses of the stars very well, we find that anomalously low helium content (lower than primordial helium) is required to fit the luminosities and temperatures of the metal-poor K dwarfs, while more conventional values of the helium content are derived for the stars around solar metallicity. We have investigated the effect of diffusion in stellar models and the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) in deriving metallicities. Neither of these is able to resolve the low-helium problem alone and only marginally if the cumulated effects are included, unless we assume a mixing-length which is strongly decreasing with metallicity. Further work in stellar models is urgently needed. The helium-to-metal enrichment ratio is found to be ΔY/ΔZ= 2.1 ± 0.9 around and above solar metallicity, consistent with previous studies, whereas open problems still remain at the lowest metallicities. Finally, we determine the helium content for a set of planetary host stars.
No Effect of Featural Attention on Body Size Aftereffects

Prolonged exposure to images of narrow bodies has been shown to induce a perceptual aftereffect, such that observers’ point of subjective normality (PSN) for bodies shifts toward narrower bodies. The converse effect is shown for adaptation to wide bodies. In low-level stimuli, object attention (attention directed to the object) and spatial attention (attention directed to the location of the object) have been shown to increase the magnitude of visual aftereffects, while object-based attention enhances the adaptation effect in faces. It is not known whether featural attention (attention directed to a specific aspect of the object) affects the magnitude of adaptation effects in body stimuli. Here, we manipulate the attention of Caucasian observers to different featural information in body images, by asking them to rate the fatness or sex typicality of male and female bodies manipulated to appear fatter or thinner than average. PSNs for body fatness were taken at baseline and after adaptation, and a change in PSN (ΔPSN) was calculated. A body size adaptation effect was found, with observers who viewed fat bodies showing an increased PSN, and those exposed to thin bodies showing a reduced PSN. However, manipulations of featural attention to body fatness or sex typicality produced equivalent results, suggesting that featural attention may not affect the strength of the body size aftereffect.
Osteochondritis dissecans of the lateral femoral condyle following total resection of the discoid lateral meniscus.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of 6 athletically active children with symptomatic osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the lateral femoral condyle following total resection for a torn discoid lateral meniscus and to discuss its cause. TYPE OF STUDY Case series. METHODS Six patients in whom OCD affecting the lateral femoral condyle developed after total resection of the discoid lateral meniscus participated in a detailed clinical, radiologic, and arthroscopic review. The average age at the time of meniscectomy was 9 years (range, 6 to 12 years). At a mean of 50 months (range, 36 to 65 months) after surgery they developed recurrent pain in the treated knee; all had radiologic abnormalities at the lateral femoral condyle consistent with OCD. Before the recurrence of pain, all patients had been continuously engaged in sports activity. Radiologic and arthroscopic findings of the OCD lesions were assessed. Clinical outcomes of surgical treatment for OCD were also documented. RESULTS The radiographic evaluation showed all lesions to be in the central portion of the lateral femoral condyle on the anteroposterior views and posteriorly next to a line extending distally from the posterior femoral cortex on the lateral views. Arthroscopic evaluation revealed softening in 2 knees, a separated fragment in 2 knees, and a completely loose fragment in 2 knees. All lesions were treated surgically, including 2 drillings of the lesion, 2 fixations of separated fragment, and 2 excisions of loose bodies with drilling. At an average follow-up period of 51 months (range, 22 to 77 months), all patients but 1 were asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS Repeated impaction in sports activities on the immature osteochondral structures under altered mechanical force transmission after total resection of the discoid meniscus might be a predisposing factor in the development of OCD in the lateral femoral condyle.
Unequal nondisjunction frequencies of trivalent chromosomes in male mice heterozygous for two Robertsonian translocations

Robertsonian (Rb) translocation heterozygosity may cause pairing problems during prophase and segregation irregularities at anaphase of meiosis I. These stages of meiosis I were studied in male mice doubly heterozygous for the two Rb chromosomes Rb(9.19)163H and Rb(16.17)8Lub. At pachytene both Rb chromosomes similarly showed pairing irregularities like unpaired segments. However, highly different nondisjunction frequencies of chromosomes forming the respective trivalents were found. The nondisjunction frequency of the Rb8Lub trivalent chromosomes was about 40%, whereas a very low frequency of nondisjunction was found in combination with the Rb163H trivalent. Since both trivalents were together in the same cell, differences in kinetochore function are assumed to be responsible for the diverse frequency of nondisjunction.
Are children with stronger cognitive capacity more or less disturbed by classroom noise and dysphonic teachers?

Abstract Purpose: This study aimed to explore if dysphonic voice quality affects children's performance on a language comprehension test, the Test for Reception of Grammar-2 (TROG-2), performed in simultaneous background noise (non-semantic babble). A further aim was to investigate the role of Working Memory Capacity (WMC) and Executive Functioning (EF) in coping with the voice against a background of babble conditions. Method: Ninety-three mainstreamed 8 year old children with typical language development were tested for WMC and EF. Two groups of children (n = 47/46) were formed and presented with recordings of TROG-2 instructions read by one female speaker: one group was presented with recordings with induced dysphonic voice quality, the other with recordings of typical voice. Both groups listened to the voice recordings in competing babble noise at a Signal-to-Noise Ratio of + 10 dB. Result: Significant differences were found for the interaction between cognitive capacity and the TROG-2 results in relation to the voice conditions. In the dysphonic voice condition, children with better WMC results scored higher at the easier comprehension tasks. In the typical voice condition, children with better WMC and EF results scored higher on the more difficult tasks. Seventeen per cent of the variance for the TROG-2 results was explained by the WMC and EF results. There was no overall effect on the children's performance depending of voice condition. Conclusion: The effect of the speaker's voice quality on children's performance varies depending on the prevalence of background babble noise and on the task demands. The dysphonic voice and babble noise seem to demand allocation of cognitive capacities at the cost of language comprehension.
NOTE FOR EDITOR: Reflective Approach In Teaching Pre-Degree Chemistry

The study is a component of a larger investigation that focuses on exemplary practice in chemistry education. This case study involves an investigation of a chemistry teacher in two years intermediate education in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. The study utilized an interpretive methodology in which the questions emerged from intensive observations of chemistry lessons in classes taught by a teacher. The principal finding was that a teacher focused on teaching for understanding. Once teacher tended to emphasize whole-class activities while the other times he utilized more small-group and individualized activities. The teacher was successful in his goal of teaching for understanding because he was effective classroom manager and he had strong science content knowledge that enabled him to focus on instructional strategies that facilitated student understanding. He asked appropriate questions, responded to student questions, and used effective cognitive monitoring strategies. The teacher was able to teach effectively because he had adequate content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge. Researcher adopted the method of action research to class room teaching where a classroom event triggers the process of reflection followed by critical analysis of the event which leads to change and subsequent reflection to observe that change and so on. He has taken two different texts to teach students. Out of two texts, one is explaining the metallurgy of Magnesium. In that case, he was successful as a teacher when he adopted comparative method of teaching metallurgy of Magnesium rather than the traditional method of teaching. The other one is explaining the properties of Hydrogen peroxide. In this case he was successful as a teacher by adopting discussion, interaction and discussion method.
STEREOTACTIC VOLUMETRIC RESECTION OF THALAMIC PILOCYTIC ASTROCYTOMAS

OBJECTIVE To describe the surgical approaches, the radiographic and clinical outcomes, and the long-term follow-up of patients harboring thalamic pilocytic astrocytomas after radical resection by means of a stereotactic volumetric technique. METHODS Seventy-two patients with thalamic pilocytic astrocytomas underwent stereotactic volumetric resection by the senior author (PJK) at the Mayo Clinic between 1984 and 1993 (44 patients) and at New York University Medical Center between 1993 and 2005 (28 patients). Patient demographics, presenting symptoms, surgical approaches, neurological outcomes, pathology, initial postoperative status, and long-term clinical and radiographic follow-up were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS On preoperative neurological examinations, 54 of the 72 patients had neurological deficits; of these, 48 had hemiparesis. Postoperative imaging demonstrated gross total resection in 58 patients and minimal (<6 mm) residual tumor in 13 patients. Tumor resection was aborted in one patient. On immediate postoperative examination, 16 patients had significant improvements in hemiparesis. Six patients had worsening of a preexisting hemiparesis and one had a new transient postoperative hemiparesis. There was one postoperative death. After 13 to 20 years of follow-up in the Mayo group (mean, 15 ± 3 yr) and 1 to 13 years of follow-up in the New York University group (mean, 8 ± 3 yr), 67 patients were recurrence/progression-free, one had tumor recurrence, and three had progression of residual tumor. There were two shunt-related deaths. On long-term neurological follow-up, 27 patients had significant improvements in hemiparesis; one patient with a postoperative worsening of a preexisting hemiparesis remained unchanged. There were no patients with new long-term motor deficits after stereotactic resection. CONCLUSION Gross total removal of thalamic pilocytic astrocytomas with low morbidity and mortality can be achieved by computer-assisted stereotactic volumetric resection techniques. Gross total resection of these lesions confers a favorable long-term prognosis without adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and leads to the improvement of neurological deficits.
Biofilm-Forming Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Survive in Kupffer Cells and Exhibit High Virulence in Mice

Although Staphylococcus aureus is part of the normal body flora, heavy usage of antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA). MRSA can form biofilms and cause indwelling foreign body infections, bacteremia, soft tissue infections, endocarditis, and osteomyelitis. Using an in vitro assay, we screened 173 clinical blood isolates of MRSA and selected 20 high-biofilm formers (H-BF) and low-biofilm formers (L-BF). These were intravenously administered to mice and the general condition of mice, the distribution of bacteria, and biofilm in the liver, lung, spleen, and kidney were investigated. MRSA count was the highest in the liver, especially within Kupffer cells, which were positive for acid polysaccharides that are associated with intracellular biofilm. After 24 h, the general condition of the mice worsened significantly in the H-BF group. In the liver, bacterial deposition and aggregation and the biofilm-forming spot number were all significantly greater for H-BF group than for L-BF. CFU analysis revealed that bacteria in the H-BF group survived for long periods in the liver. These results indicate that the biofilm-forming ability of MRSA is a crucial factor for intracellular persistence, which could lead to chronic infections.
Neuronal circuitry and synaptic organization of trigeminal proprioceptive afferents mediating tongue movement and jaw–tongue coordination via hypoglossal premotor neurons

The neural framework and synaptic organization of trigeminal proprioceptive afferent‐mediated jaw–tongue coordination were studied in rats using multiple electrophysiological and neuroanatomical approaches. Electrostimulation of the masseter nerve evoked short‐latency responses (5.86 ± 2.59 ms) in hypoglossal premotor pools including the parvocellular (PCRt) and intermediate (IRt) reticular nuclei and the dorsomedial part of the spinal trigeminal nucleus oralis (Vodm) and interpolaris (Vidm). Biocytin‐labelled axon terminals from these areas traveled into the hypoglossal nucleus (XII) and contacted motoneurons. Double labelling of biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) tracing and cholera toxin B (CTB) transport demonstrated that labelled axons and terminals from the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Vme) overlapped with XII premotor neurons in the alpha division and in PCRt, IRt, Vodm and Vidm. Confocal microscopic observations revealed that Vme terminals closely contacted XII premotor neurons. Dual labelling of intracellular neurobiotin staining of jaw‐muscle spindle afferents (JMSAs) combined with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) retrograde transport revealed that 498 JMSA boutons apposed to 146 HRP‐labelled premotor neurons. Electron microscopic observations demonstrated that 127 JMSA boutons made both axodendritic (68%) and axosomatic (32%) synapses with XII premotor neurons. Eighty‐three per cent of synapses were asymmetric and the rest (17%) were symmetric. Thirty‐nine per cent of JMSA boutons received presynaptic contacts from P‐type terminals. Varieties of synaptic organizations were found. These results provide evidence that trigeminal proprioceptive afferents mediate jaw–tongue coordination through XII premotor neurons. Ultrastructural findings demonstrated that synapses between JMSA boutons and XII premotor neurons are predominantly excitatory, and synaptic transmission to XII motoneurons is modified on XII premotor neurons by presynaptic mechanisms. These frameworks and synaptic organizations are most probably the neural substrate for trigeminal proprioceptive afferent‐mediated jaw–tongue coordination.
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology the Apple of the Mind's Eye: Everyday Attention, Metamemory, and Reconstructive Memory for the Apple Logo

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the " Content ") contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.
Examining Health Inequalities in Latvia: A Decade of Association between Socioeconomic Position and Perceived Health Status

The relationship between socioeconomic position (SEP) and population health is contextual. This study identifies the determinants of SEP producing health inequalities in the Latvian population. We also estimate the proportional contribution of different socioeconomic strata- (SES-) related determinants in Latvian health inequalities and measure the changes in the relative contributions of such determinants over the period 2005–2015. Using the household survey data (2005–2015), we construct a principal component analysis based SES index. A regression-based concentration index (CI) is our measure of health inequality to examine the distribution of perceived health status. Finally, we identify and estimate the contribution of predictors of health inequalities by decomposing CI with Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition. SES-related health inequalities have declined from 2005 (CI: 0.201) to 2015 (CI: 0.137) in Latvia—better-off Latvians enjoyed better perceived health during that period. The proportional contributions of education and working status have increased in 2015 compared to 2005. Although we have generated the first evidence to suggest policy relevant measures in addressing Latvian health inequalities, our decomposition method explains the extent of variation in perceived health instead of covariance between health and SEP.
The inherent challenges in creative musical performance in a paediatric hospital setting

The paper investigates the challenges that musicians face when playing in a paediatric hospital, drawing on case study evidence from a long-standing programme in Italy. The research focussed on identifying: (i) the inherent challenges of being a performer in a hospital; and (ii) the professional characteristics of the musicians who perform in hospitals. As part of a wider, cross-cultural study, musicians (N = 8) were asked to report their (i) physical and (ii) psychological perceptions, before and after their musical performance in the hospital across four weeks. Interview data were analyzed according to content analysis and were informed by grounded theory. Results suggest that performing in a hospital setting is particularly demanding psychologically and emotionally where the nature of the musicians’ role requires them to improvise (i) as part of their normal performance practice, seeking active collaboration by the patient, and (ii) environmentally, in relation to changes in the medical condition of their client/patient/audience. The results are also explained in terms of inherent tensions in a professional musical identity that requires expert performance in a clinical setting.