cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the spectral properties of LED-based MR16 bulbs for general illumination

The spectral properties of commercially available halogen and LED-based MR16s were investigated. The metrics used to characterize the MR16s include the total luminous flux (TLF), correlated color temperature (CCT), color-rendering index (CRI), angular variation of CCT, and luminous efficacy. The halogen MR16s were included as a baseline for comparison with LED-based MR16s. Seven LED-based MR16s were investigated, including three constructed from 5-mm LEDs, and four constructed from high-power devices based on a larger die. It is shown that MR16s constructed from white LEDs are not suitable as a direct replacement for existing alternatives at this time, due to their low power efficiency and poor TLF. MR16s constructed with a single phosphor also have poor CRIs and undesirable CCTs. An MR16 with an extra phosphor in the red region of the spectrum shows improvement in CRI and a lower CCT than the other LED-based MR16s. All of the LED-based MR16s had a variation of CCT that was larger than those of the halogen devices.
Simple infrared techniques for measuring beach surface moisture

Knowledge of surface moisture on beaches is vital for aeolian process studies because moisture increases transport thresholds and limits mass flux. A number of beach surface moisture measurement techniques have been employed in the field, including sample extraction, commercial soil moisture sensors, and remote sensing techniques. Each method has significant limitations in the context of aeolian process studies. This study was designed to test infrared optic techniques for measuring beach surface moisture. A simple infrared sensor (narrow-band radiometer) was developed to measure beach surface moisture content. The accuracy and practical usability of the narrow-band radiometer were assessed in comparison to a commercial handheld spectroradiometer. Field calibrations conducted at Cape San Blas, Florida and Padre Island, Texas indicated that the narrow-band radiometer performed quite well. The R2 values exceeded 0·98 in each case, and the standard error averaged about 1% moisture content compared with gravimetric moisture contents determined from 1·5 mm deep surface scrapes. The performance of the two instruments was found to be comparable, with the narrow-band radiometer slightly outperforming the spectroradiometer. In practical applications, the narrow-band radiometer also has logistical advantages and is better suited to measure large numbers of points. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Risk of non-melanoma skin cancer in a national cohort of veterans with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective. To determine the incidence of and risk factors for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in a national cohort of veterans with RA. Methods. We examined skin cancer risk in a cohort of 20 648 patients with RA derived from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) national administrative databases. The cohort was divided into two medication groups: patients treated with non-biologic and TNF-a antagonist DMARDs. We defined skin cancer as the first occurrence of an International Classification of Disease, Version 9, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code for NMSC after initiation of a DMARD. Outcome risk was described using hazard ratios (HRs) with Cox proportional hazards regression for time-to-event analysis and logistic regression. We performed medical record review to validate the diagnosis of NMSC. Results. Incidence of NMSC was 18.9 and 12.7 per 1000 patient-years in patients on TNF-a antagonists and non-biologic DMARDs, respectively. Patients on TNF-a antagonists had a higher risk of developing NMSC (HR 1.42; 95% CI 1.24, 1.63). Risk factors for NMSC included older age, male gender, NSAID and glucocorticoid use and a history of prior malignancies. There was substantial agreement between ICD-9-CM diagnosis of NMSC and medical record validation (� = 0.61).
In vivo molecular markers for pro-inflammatory cytokine M1 stage and resident microglia in trimethyltin-induced hippocampal injury.

Microglia polarization to the classical M1 activation state is characterized by elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines; however, a full profile has not been generated in the early stages of a sterile inflammatory response recruiting only resident microglia. We characterized the initial M1 state in a hippocampal injury model dependent upon tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor signaling for dentate granule cell death. Twenty-one-day-old CD1 male mice were injected with trimethyltin (TMT 2.3 mg/kg, i.p.) and the hippocampus was examined at an early stage (24-h post-dosing) of neuronal death. Glia activation was assessed using a custom quantitative nuclease protection assay. We report elevated mRNA levels for glia response such as ionizing calcium-binding adapter molecule-1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (Gfap); Fas, hypoxia inducible factor alpha, complement component 1qb, TNF-related genes (Tnf, Tnfaip3, Tnfrsfla); interleukin-1 alpha, Cd44, chemokine (C–C motif) ligand (Ccl)2, Cc14, integrin alpha M, lipocalin (Lcn2), and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1). These changes occurred in the absence of changes in matrix metalloproteinase 9 and 12, neural cell adhesion molecule, metabotropic glutamate receptor (Grm)3, and Ly6/neurotoxin 1 (Lynx1), as well as, a decrease in neurotrophin 3, glutamate receptor subunit epsilon (Grin)-2b, and neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor, type 3. The M2 anti-inflammatory marker, transforming growth factor beta-1 (Tgfb1) was elevated. mRNAs associated with early stage of injury-induced neurogenesis including fibroblast growth factor 21 and Mki67 were elevated. In the “non-injured” temporal cortex receiving projections from the hippocampus, Lynx1, Grm3, and Grin2b were decreased and Gfap increased. Formalin fixed-paraffin-embedded tissue did not generate a comparable profile.
Mycoplasma haemocanis – the canine hemoplasma and its feline counterpart in the genomic era

Mycoplasma haemocanis is a hemotrophic mycoplasma (hemoplasma), blood pathogen that may cause acute disease in immunosuppressed or splenectomized dogs. The genome of the strain Illinois, isolated from blood of a naturally infected dog, has been entirely sequenced and annotated to gain a better understanding of the biology of M. haemocanis. Its single circular chromosome has 919 992 bp and a low G + C content (35%), representing a typical mycoplasmal genome. A gene-by-gene comparison against its feline counterpart, M. haemofelis, reveals a very similar composition and architecture with most of the genes having conserved synteny extending over their entire chromosomes and differing only by a small set of unique protein coding sequences. As in M. haemofelis, M. haemocanis metabolic pathways are reduced and apparently rely heavily on the nutrients afforded by its host environment. The presence of a major percentage of its genome dedicated to paralogous genes (63.7%) suggests that this bacterium might use antigenic variation as a mechanism to evade the host’s immune system as also observed in M. haemofelis genome. Phylogenomic comparisons based on average nucleotide identity (ANI) and tetranucleotide signature suggest that these two pathogens are different species of mycoplasmas, with M. haemocanis infecting dogs and M. haemofelis infecting cats.
The treatment of tuberculosis in childhood

The treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in children and adults has remained unchanged for more than 30 years and although new drugs are at last entering clinical trials it will be 5 - 10 years before their precise place in therapy is established. It is therefore necessary to continue to use our current drugs with care and prudence and be particularly careful about preventing the further development of drug resistance. The principles of treatment in adults and children are the same but there is an increasing appreciation that the spectrum of disease seen in childhood is different and that children also differ from adults with regard to the pharmacokinetics of drugs. (excerpt)
Asymptotic observers for detectable and poorly observable systems

A new notion of detectability for nonlinear systems, which generalizes the existing definition of detectability for linear systems, is explored. Based on this notion, a constructive observer design method for detectable, but not necessarily observable, nonlinear systems is given. Preliminary results on the observer design for "poorly observable" systems are also discussed and illustrated with an example.
Embryonic Cord Transplants in Peripheral Nerve Restore Skeletal Muscle Function

The rapid atrophy of skeletal muscle after denervation severely compromises efforts to restore muscle function. We have transplanted embryonic day 14–15 (E14–E15) ventral spinal cord cells into adu...
Prediction of electromagnons in antiferromagnetic ferroelectrics from first-principles: The case of BiFeO3

abstractA first-principles-based computational approach is developed to study finite-temperature complex dynamics in multiferroics. Application of the technique to one of the most well-known multiferroic, BiFeO3, predicts the existence of electromagnons that have so far remained elusive for first-principles computations. It is demonstrated that the most general form of the magnetoelectric coupling that is allowed in any multiferroic, may produce an electromagnon in antiferromagnetic ferroelectric. This finding could be explained from the basic theory of antiferromagnetic resonance. The temperature evolution of the electromagnon, magnon and soft phonon modes is studied to trace the intrinsic features of these excitations. A connection with experiment is also made.
Mobility enhancement

This article is targeted as an introduction to the physics of strained Si and the current state of the art in uniaxial strained Si MOSFET. The first part of the article explains how strain alters the valence and conduction band of Si as well as scattering rates. This is followed by a review of state-of-the-art strained techniques being implemented in 90- and 65-nm process technologies. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of the future scalability of strained Si MOSFETs in the ballistic regime and nanoscale CMOS.
Meloxicam improves object recognition memory and modulates glial activation after splenectomy in mice.

Context Surgery-induced neuroinflammation has been implicated in the development of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Objective To test the hypothesis that meloxicam, a selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor, preserves postoperative cognitive function and inhibits surgery-induced neuroinflammation in a mouse model. Design A mouse model of splenectomy-induced inflammation. Methods Sixty Swiss Webster male mice (6-8 week old) were randomised into six groups that underwent splenectomy. Animals in groups 1-4 were tested once on day 1, 5, 9 or 14 to determine the time course of delayed transient cognitive dysfunction associated with splenectomy. Animals in groups 5 and 6 were tested once on day 5 or 9 to determine the ability of the NSAID meloxicam to attenuate cognitive dysfunction. Intervention Animals in groups 1-4 received one dose 500 μl intraperitoneal physiological saline 24 h after splenectomy. Animals in groups 5 and 6 received one dose of intraperitoneal meloxicam (60 mg kg in 500 μl saline) 24 h after splenectomy. Main outcome measures Short-term working memory as determined by Object Recognition Test (ORT) index on days 1, 5, 9 and 14 was the first main outcome. Tomato lectin staining histochemistry of glial cells was assessed on days 1, 5, 9 and 14 as a second main outcome. Results Compared with day 1 (group 1), the mean ORT indices at day 5 (group 2) and day 9 (group 3) were decreased by 27.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9 to 54.1%, P = 0.04] and 23.8% (95% CI, 4.3 to 51.9%, P = 0.09), respectively. At day 5 (group 5) and day 9 (group 6), the ORT indices in the meloxicam groups were reduced by 6.6% (95% CI: -11.4 to 24.5%) and 4.3% (95% CI: -25.3 to 34.0). Thus, the administration of meloxicam attenuated the decrease in ORT indices (P = 0.031). Histochemical staining with tomato lectin showed features of microglia activation at day 5 and 9, which was reduced by the administration of meloxicam. Conclusion These findings suggest that COX-2-dependent mechanisms may play a role in the development of POCD. This effect may be dependent on the modulation of glial cell activation.
SUPERVISOR-SUBORDINATE LIFE STYLE AND INTERPERSONAL NEED COMPATIBILITIES AS DETERMINANTS OF SUBORDINATE'S ATTITUDES TOWARD THE SUPERVISOR

The article looks at a study which investigates the relationships of life style and interpersonal need compatibilities in supervisor-subordinate pairs in the U.S. The study also investigates the at...
A Demonstration of the Location of Auditory Organs in Certain Orthoptera

Although the organs associated with the tympana in the front tibiae of Tettigoniidae and Gryllidae are called auditory organs, there seems to be little experimental evidence to show that they are organs of hearing or that these insects can hear at all. It is assumed that such organs are auditory in function because by structure they seem to be well fitted for that purpose. These sense organs, in common with so-called auditory organs in other insects, are characterized by the presence of minute peg-shaped structures known as auditory-pegs or scolopalae. Among the crickets and katydids, only the species having stridulatory organs possess also the tympanal organs. Snodgrass (1) sums up the situation by saying that the principle argument in favor of their auditory nature is “if they are not ears, what are they.”
Relation of Alanine Aminotransferase Levels to Cardiovascular Events and Statin Efficacy.

The relation between hepatic serum markers within the normal range and cardiovascular risk is uncertain. We sought to address this issue within a prospective randomized trial of statin therapy. Men and women (n = 17,515) free of cardiovascular disease participating in a randomized placebo controlled trial of rosuvastatin 20 mg/day had baseline levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) below <40 IU/l and were followed prospectively for the first-ever cardiovascular events. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate the relative risks of these events according to increasing tertiles and each SD increase in baseline ALT levels. ALT levels at study entry, all within the normal range, were inversely associated with age, smoking status, and inflammation and were positively associated with male gender, alcohol use, and triglycerides. Incident cardiovascular event rates were highest in those in the lowest tertile of baseline ALT; specifically, incidence rates were 1.43, 0.98, and 0.85 per 100 person-years of exposure for those in the lowest, middle, and highest tertile of baseline ALT within the normal range, respectively (p <0.001). These inverse effects remained statistically significant after multivariate adjustment for a wide range of vascular risk factors risk markers such that each higher SD unit of ALT was associated with an 18% lower event rate (relative risk 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.72 to 0.93, p = 0.002). The efficacy of statin therapy was not modified by baseline ALT level. In conclusion, increasing ALT levels within the normal range are inversely associated with future cardiovascular risk but had limited clinical utility and also did not modify the efficacy of statin therapy.
Determination of Methanol and N-hexane in Workplace Air by Solvent Desorption Gas Chromatography Method

Objective To establish solvent desorption gas chromatography method to determine the methanol and n- hexane in workplace air. Methods After being respectively desorbed with water and n- hexane with carbon disulfide,the methanol and n- hexane were then isolated separately through GDX- 102 glass column and DB- 5 capillary column at constant temperature,and were finally detected by flame ionization detector. Results The optimum determination linear range of concentration for methanol and n- hexane were respectively 15. 7885μg/ml-236. 827 μg/ml and 65. 5705 μg/ml-524. 564 μg/ml and the linear correlation coefficients were respectively 0. 9999 and 0. 9997. The detection limits were respectively 2. 0 μg /ml and 0. 15 μg /ml and the relative standard deviation(RSD) were both less than 5%. Conclusion The method is suitable for the detection of methanol and alcohols in the air of workplace.
The effect of ultrasonic disintegration on the outcome of percutaneous nephrolithotripsy

Concern has been expressed regarding the use of ultrasonic lithotripsy in the percutaneous treatment of renal calculi with the suggestion that high rates of retained stones may be experienced. Evaluation of 89 patients with stones confined to the renal pelvis treated both with and without ultrasonic lithotripsy were evaluated with regard to stone size, retained fragments, stone composition and previous renal surgery. It is felt that it is not the use of ultrasonic lithotripsy that leads to longer hospitalization and retained fragments, but rather the size of the renal calculi and the complexity of arrangement.
Role of SATB2 in human pancreatic cancer: Implications in transformation and a promising biomarker

// Wei Yu 1 , Yiming Ma 1 , Sharmila Shankar 1, 2 , Rakesh K. Srivastava 1, 3 1 Kansas City VA Medical Center, Kansas City, MO 66128, USA 2 Department of Pathology, University of Missouri-School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA 3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Missouri-School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA Correspondence to: Rakesh K. Srivastava, email: rsrivastava.lab@gmail.com Sharmila Shankar, email: sharmila.shankar@va.gov Keywords: pancreatic cancer, SATB2, cancer stem cell, stem cell, pluripotency Received: May 01, 2016 Accepted: July 10, 2016 Published: July 27, 2016 ABSTRACT SATB2 (special AT-rich binding protein-2), a transcription factor and chromatin modulator, regulates the expression of genes required for maintaining pluripotency and self-renewal. The molecular mechanisms by which human pancreatic normal ductal epithelial cells are transformed to cancer cells are not well understood. The main goal of the paper is to examine the molecular mechanisms by which SATB2 regulates transformation of human pancreatic normal ductal epithelial (HPNE) cells, and assess whether transformed HPNE cells gained the phenotypes of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The results demonstrate that SATB2 is highly expressed in pancreatic CSCs, primary tissues and cell lines, but not in HPNE cells. SATB2 induces cellular transformation, stemness and epithelial to mesenchymal transition in HPNE cells, and inhibition of its expression suppresses these activities. Overexpression of SATB2 in HPNE cells resulted in induction of stem cell markers (CD44, CD24 and CD133), and transcription factors (Oct4, Sox2 and Nanog). SATB2 can directly bind to promoters of Bcl-2, Bsp, Nanog, c-Myc, XIAP, Klf4 and Hoxa2, suggesting the role of SATB2 in pluripotency, cell survival and proliferation. SATB2-overexpressing HPNE cells (HPNE/SATB2) formed tumors in Balb C nude mice, whereas HPNE/Empty vector cells did not form any tumor. Since SATB2 is highly expressed in human pancreatic cancer tissues and cell lines, but not in HPNE cells and normal pancreatic tissue, it can drive pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis. Our findings suggest that SATB2 can induce dedifferentiation by inducing stemness and may have a role in pancreatic carcinogenesis, and can be used as a diagnostic biomarker.
The development of SRM assays is transforming proteomics research.

Bottom-up targeted proteomics using SRM is a powerful analytical technology, but it requires the development of SRM assays, which is a complex procedure. Whereas proteome-wide SRM assays have recently been developed for a small number of species, this is not so for the mouse. In this issue, Percy et al. [1] report the development of hundreds of mouse SRM assays. Their development required shotgun MS to identify proteotypic peptides, synthesis, and LC-MS characterization of peptide standards, and interlaboratory SRM to robustly assess the quality of the assays. The resulting SRM assays are intended to be used to analyze mouse plasma and cardiac tissue, primarily for cardiovascular disease and cancer research.
An expected motion information model of salience for active cameras

Faced with the challenge of learning about its environment, an important first step for a robot is deciding how to direct its sensors to extract meaningful information. Computational models of visual salience have been developed to predict where humans tend to look in visual scenes, and thus they may provide useful heuristics for orienting robotic cameras. However, as we show here, current models of visual salience exhibit some important problems when applied to active robotic cameras. Here, we describe a new model of visual salience, named EMI, specifically designed to work on robotic cameras. The intuition behind this model is that, regardless of the task at hand, it is critical for robot cameras to keep track of motion, be it caused by camera movement or by world movement. Thus, it is reasonable for cameras to focus on image regions that are expected to provide high information about future motion, and to do so in a way that blurs the image as little as possible. We show that EMI predicts human fixations at least as well as current models of visual salience. In addition, we show that EMI overcomes the limitations that current visual salience models have when applied to robotic, active cameras.
Genocide in the Golden State: a response to reviews by William Bauer, Jr., Margaret Jacobs, Karl Jacoby and Jeffrey Ostler

Newcomers murdered thousands of California Indian people between 1846 and 1873. Large numbers also died during forced removals, as unfree labourers and on federal Indian reservations. In addition, ...
INTRA- AND INTER-COLONY TRANSMISSION OF A NUCLEAR POLYHEDROSIS VIRUS OF THE LOBLOLLY PINE SAWFLY, NEODIPRION TAEDAE LINEARIS ROSS, ON PINE

A high level (37 – 98%) of secondary transmission of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus from primary infected larvae (PIL) of the loblolly pine sawfly, Neodiprion taedae linearis Ross (Hymenoptera: Dipri...
When the Composer Has PTSD: Examining the Life of George Lloyd (1919-1998)

Abstract Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impairs cognitive function, attention, memory, mood, initiative, human relationships and self-esteem. Music therapy can ameliorate some of these problems. Although there is literature on music and PTSD, there is scant information on the musician-composer with PTSD, the process of recovery, and the connections between composition, PTSD and neurocognitive function. Presented here is an account of George Lloyd, a highly regarded young English composer in the 1930s. Following severe trauma in World War 2, Lloyd’s ability to compose suffered greatly for many years. He took a professional detour into market gardening to recover his health and then subsequently rehabilitated his musical career. Lessons learned from Lloyd’s life are described both in relation to approaches he used to achieve recovery from PTSD and a more general question of composition’s potential therapeutic effects in light of recent cognitive neuroscience.
The effect of navigation display clutter on performance and attention allocation in presentation- and simulator-based driving experiments.

Abstract Display clutter can have differential effects based on environmental factors, such as workload, stress, and experiment paradigm. The objectives of the current study were to assess the effects of display clutter on driver performance and attention allocation and compare results across two experimental paradigms. Forty-two participants searched high- and low-clutter in-car navigation displays for routine information either during a static, presentation-based experiment or in a dynamic, driving simulator experiment. Results revealed display clutter to significantly alter attention allocation and degrade performance in the presentation experiment, but had little to no effect on driver performance or attention allocation in the driving simulator experiment. Results suggest that display clutter may have its greatest effect on performance and attention allocation in domains requiring extended attention to the cluttered display compared to tasks in which the cluttered display acts as a support tool for secondary tasks.
Interaction Between Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis C Eradication With Direct-acting Antiviral Therapy

The approval of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has revolutionized hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. However, the publication of a study from Barcelona in 2016 raised concern for an increased risk of recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after potentially curative therapy in patients receiving DAAs. This article reviews the current literature on the interaction between HCC and hepatitis C eradication with DAAs. Following publication of the initial observation in 2016, a number of studies have looked at the impact of active HCC on the success of antiviral therapy, as well as that of treatment with DAAs on both the occurrence and recurrence of HCC. The presence of active HCC decreases sustained virologic response (SVR) rates with DAAs. However, SVR rates improve in patients who have achieved complete radiological response or are treated post transplantation. With respect to occurrence of HCC after DAAs, many small single-center studies without a control group have documented high incidence. The rates are also higher when compared to those of historical controls treated with interferon, but these patients are not comparable because DAA-treated population is more likely to have advanced fibrosis or decompensation. In large studies that have included a control group (patients treated concurrently who did not achieve SVR), a decrease in the occurrence of HCC has been demonstrated. With regard to recurrence of HCC, while smaller single-center studies have shown an increase, larger studies with control group have not replicated those findings. However, methodological limitations in the published studies limit our ability to make a firm conclusion on both the occurrence and recurrence of HCC after DAA therapy. The presence of active HCC decreases treatment success rates with DAAs. Therefore, it is recommended that treatment of HCV in patients with HCC be deferred till there is complete radiological response. Though there are major limitations with the currently published studies, the data does not support an increase in the occurrence or recurrence of HCC after DAA therapy.
Fermentation products in the cystic fibrosis airways induce aggregation and dormancy-associated expression profiles in a CF clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a well-known dominant opportunistic pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF) with a wide range of metabolic capacities. However, P. aeruginosa does not colonize the airways alone, and benefits from the metabolic products of neighboring cells-especially volatile molecules that can travel between different parts of the airways easily. Here, we present a study that investigates the metabolic, gene expression profiles and phenotypic responses of a P. aeruginosa clinical isolate to fermentation products lactic acid and 2,3-butanediol, metabolites that are produced by facultative anaerobic members of the CF polymicrobial community and potential biomarkers of disease progression. Although previous studies have successfully investigated the metabolic and transcriptional profiles of P. aeruginosa, most have used common lab reference strains that may differ in important ways from clinical isolates. Using transcriptomics and metabolomics with gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry, we observe that fermentation products induce pyocyanin production along with the expression of genes involved in P. aeruginosa amino acid utilization, dormancy and aggregative or biofilm modes of growth. These findings have important implications for how interactions within the diverse CF microbial community influence microbial physiology, with potential clinical consequences.
A ludicidade como instrumento de discussão de temas identitários e culturais na literatura infantil – uma análise de Beto, o carneiro, de Ana Maria Machado, e O voo do Golfinho, de Ondjaki

A literatura infantil e vista por muitos como um ramo menor da literatura, nao atraindo muitos estudiosos por nao ser identificada como detentora de temas complexos que possam ser aprofundados. No entanto, um olhar mais atento percebe que, na verdade, a literatura infantil nao so lida com topicos normalmente considerados “adultos”, como tambem assume a tarefa de torna-los inteligiveis para criancas. Assim, o presente artigo se dedica a analisar duas obras infantis – Beto, o carneiro , da escritora brasileira Ana Maria Machado, e O voo do Golfinho , do angolano Ondjaki – a fim de verificar de que forma questoes de identidade e pluralizacao cultural podem ser percebidas em meio ao ludico em narrativas infantis.
Unitary Groups over General Classes of Form Rings

The problems considered in this chapter are the unitary analogues of those considered in Chapter 4 for the linear groups. For the most part they have their origins in the classical questions studied in Chapter 6 over division rings. Among the questions which we will consider, will be the following: Can the normal subgroups of a unitary group U(M) be classified? Is there a stability theory for the unitary K1 and K2? Does an analogue of the congruence subgroup property hold for SU(M)? Are the groups U(M) or its important subgroups finitely generated or finitely presented? These problems have been an important driving force in the development of the theory of the unitary groups over rings. They are all deep and a rich and extensive literature represents the contributions made to them. It will be our strategy to select the most general results with the proviso that we will streamline whenever these are excessively technical. We will give some historical perspectives and we will limit ourselves for the most part only to brief indications of the proofs. Fuller details are provided (see §9.1 A for example) when we thought it necessary to connect a particular discussion with related material from earlier in the book. Some of the results which we will discuss are proved in the literature in the context of Chevalley groups. Refer to the Concluding Remarks of this book for a brief introduction to these groups and some indication as to how they are related to the unitary group of a quadratic module.
The Sociological Hitch

John T. Warren, Advisor The Sociological Hitch focuses on my experiences in and related to higher education. I examine other major social institutions, such as work, law enforcement, and family. My major objective in the study is to offer a socially poignant testimony through the utilization of the auto-ethnographic method. The work of the classical Sociologist C. Wright Mills inspires the undertaking, namely Mills’s notion of the Sociological Imagination. Feminist theory, and its experiential epistemology, in conjunction with New Left ideas about power, influences the scope of the study. Beyond the use of Mills, feminism, and Leftist social thought, I utilize auto-ethnographic materials and essays pertaining to auto-ethnography as a distinct methodology. The major method I employ is auto-ethnography, which involves the disclosure of personal experiences in the aforementioned institutions with a focus on higher education. Self-disclosure of direct experience, coupled with extended narration and reflection achieve a detailed account of a specific subjectivity. Through my subjectivity emerges an intrinsic social critique. In addition to the major method of autoethnography, The Sociological Hitch likewise employs open-ended interviews with thirteen interviewees. Through these interviews, I explore and investigate experiences interviewees had with social institutions, namely the aforementioned higher education, work, law enforcement, and family. The interviews reinforce my subjectivity and provide context for the social milieu under consideration. Analysis of the interviews in light of the auto-ethnography generate the findings that: 1) Biography confirms sociostructural reality, 2) Police, family, school, and work reproduce Society, and 3) Social problems translate into material problems. The major underlying conclusion The Sociological Hitch resonates the work of C. Wright Mills by declaring that assumed personal problems ought to prompt consequential social action.
Ultraviolet-B Radiation and Photosynthesis

It has long been recognized that declining levels of stratospheric ozone and the subsequent increase in ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation may deleteriously affect plant photosynthesis. However, there is a wide range of susceptibility in the photosynthetic apparatus with respect to increasing UV-B radiation. Differences in photosynthetic sensitivity to UV-B radiation may be based both upon biological factors related to leaf optical properties and repair and protective mechanisms as well as physical factors related to experimental conditions, especially the quantity and quality of background radiation. Potentially, there can be a number of direct and indirect consequences of UV-B radiation for photosynthesis. Direct effects may include a decrease in the efficiency of the light harvesting reactions with the D1 protein of the Photosystem II reaction center being particularly sensitive. In addition, photosynthetic carbon reduction may also be sensitive, with UV-B radiation having a direct effect on ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activity and content. There are also a number of indirect effects of UV-B radiation on leaf and whole plant development which may indirectly influence photosynthesis. These include changes in leaf photosynthetic pigments, stomatal conductance and changes in leaf and canopy structure. Although our knowledge concerning the impact of UV-B radiation is increasing, several gaps exist in our present understanding of how photosynthesis is affected by UV-B radiation. Despite these gaps, data are sufficient to suggest that a reduction in photosynthetic capacity may be an important consideration in the carbon dynamics of plants as stratospheric ozone continues to decline. Suggestions for additional research that would help elucidate specific changes in the photosynthetic apparatus upon UV-B radiation exposure are presented.
Dealing with Meanings: a Neglected Step in the Gray’s Elegy Argument

It is universally agreed that in the “Gray’s Elegy Argument” (GEA) Russell raises a difficulty for the attempt to “speak about” meanings (the phrase is Russell’s) and that the difficulty, assuming it to be genuine, shows the very notion of meaning to be unintelligible. In this paper I try to show that in the GEA Russell considers and rejects an alternative way of manifesting an understanding of meanings—namely, by “dealing with” them (also Russell’s phrase). This step in the GEA has not, so far as I am aware, been noticed before.
Synthesis and X-ray absorption spectroscopy of potassium transition metal fluoride nanocrystals

Nanocrystals of KMF3 (M = Mn–Ni) and K3MF6 (M = V, Fe) were synthesized via non-aqueous routes based on colloidal chemistry. The effect of a variety of parameters on the purity, size and quality of the nanocrystals was evaluated. Fluorides formed from mixtures of commercially available potassium trifluoroacetate and transition metal alkoxides, as opposed to existing methods based solely on trifluoroacetate precursors. Particles of KMF3 in the range of several to tens of nanometers, were achieved. It was found that methodologies based on hot injection of precursors often led to crystal sizes an order of magnitude smaller than those obtained from co-thermolysis as well as higher purity material. X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that M–F bond hybridization increased with transition metal d-electron count. On further probing of the Fe K and L edges, making use of different probing depths, KFeF3 nanocrystals were found to have FeII in the bulk, while the surface was rich in FeIII, but not as the product of oxidation. The developed protocols and lessons learned could be leveraged to rapidly devise synthetic methods for other alkali transition metal fluorides of interest.
Orangutans ( Pongo pygmaeus and Hybrid) and Gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla gorilla ) Modify Their Visual, but Not Auditory, Communicative Behaviors, Depending on the Attentional State of a Human Experimenter

The ability to judge the visual attention of others is a key aspect of human social cognition and communication. While evidence has shown that chimpanzees can discriminate human attention based on eye cues alone, findings for gorillas and orangutans have been less consistent. In addition, it is currently unclear whether these gorillas and orangutans attempt to attract the visual attention of inattentive recipients using “attention-getting” behaviors. We replicated and extended previous work by testing whether six orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus and hybrid) and six gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) modified the use of their visual and auditory signals based on the attentional state of a human experimenter. We recorded all communicative behaviors produced by the apes for 30 s while a human experimenter stood in front of them with a food reward in a variety of postures, both visually attentive (facing the apes) and inattentive (body and/or head facing away or eyes covered). Both species produced visual behaviors more often when the experimenter was looking at them than when she had her face turned away, but only the orangutans discriminated attention based on eye cues alone. When we removed human-reared apes from the analyses (N = 3), mother-reared apes showed sensitivity to eye cues from the experimenter. However, further analyses found that the orangutans and gorillas relied more heavily on the body and head orientation of the experimenter than on her eye cues. Neither species produced more vocalizations or nonvocal auditory behaviors, such as mesh and object banging, mesh rubbing, or clapping, in the inattentive, than attentive, conditions. Our results reveal that while orangutans and gorillas preferentially use visual gestures when a human is attending to them, they do not appear to produce auditory behaviors, including vocalizations, with the intention of manipulating the recipient’s attention state.
A Different Paradigm in Music Education : Re-examining the Profession

A Different Paradigm in Music Education is a "let’s consider some possibilities" book. Instead of a music methods book, it is a look at where the music education profession is and how music teachers might improve what it is we do. It is about change. It is about questioning the current music education paradigm, especially regarding its exclusive role as the only model. The intent is to help pre-service and in-service music educators consider new modes of pedagogical thought that will allow us to broaden our reach in schools and better help students develop as creative musicians across their lifespan. The book includes an overview of several opportunities and course examples that would make music education more relevant and meaningful, especially for students that are not interested in our traditional performance offerings. The author wishes to stimulate discussions, with the goal for the music education profession to grow and mature.
Noise Reduction in Aircraft

A complete treatment of the sources of noise in aircraft, the calculation or estimation of their intensities, and means for applying acoustical treatment are given. The paper is divided into six principal parts as follows:
Efficient Pd-Catalyzed Heterobenzylic Cross-Coupling Using Sulfonium Salts as Substrates and (PhO)(3)P as a Supporting Ligand.

S-(2-Furanylmethyl)tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluorophosphate, S-(2-thienylmethyl)tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluorophosphate, S-(3-thienylmethyl)tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluorophosphate, and S-(N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-2-pyrrolylmethyl)tetramethylenesulfonium hexafluorophosphate have been conveniently prepared from the corresponding alcohols. These stable heterobenzylic sulfonium salts participate in palladium-catalyzed Stille cross-couplings with organostannanes. All but the last mentioned sulfonium salt are also active participants in palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions with boronic acids and organozinc halides. Because the heterobenzylic cross-coupling reactants are potent alkylating agents, they scavenge the typical phosphines and arsines that otherwise could be used to stabilize the palladium catalyst over extended reaction times. This problem was overcome by the use of (PhO)3P as a unique supporting ligand for the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of heterobenzylic sulfonium salts.
Preferred Single-Vendor Program for Total Joint Arthroplasty Implants: Surgeon Adoption, Outcomes, and Cost Savings.

Background:In total joint arthroplasty, variation in implant use can be driven by vendor relationships, surgeon preference, and technological advancements. Our institution developed a preferred single-vendor program for primary hip and knee arthroplasty. We hypothesized that this initiative would de
Heart Transplantation Survival and the Use of Traumatically Brain-Injured Donors: UNOS Registry Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Background The transplantation of hearts from traumatically brain-injured (TBI) donors has been associated with inferior long-term survival in single-center analyses. However, in a more recent analysis, death caused by cerebrovascular accident was associated with worse posttransplant survival in recipients. The purpose of this study was to explore the outcomes of heart transplantation in recipients receiving donor hearts from TBI and non-TBI donors in a large national registry. Methods and Results We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of the UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing) Registry Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network between 2006 and 2018 for adult candidates wait-listed for isolated heart transplantation. Recipients were stratified into 2 groups, TBI and non-TBI donors. Propensity score matching was performed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate survival posttransplant. A total of 24 894 candidates met inclusion criteria. TBI was the leading cause of death in the donor population. Recipients of TBI donor hearts (N=13 07) were younger (median age, 55 versus 57 years; P<0.001) and less likely women (21.6% versus 29.8%; P<0.001). At 10 years, the TBI group had better long-term survival compared with the non-TBI group (62.8% versus 59.9%; P<0.001). After propensity group matching, the 10-year survival was similar between groups. Conclusions In the largest analysis of heart transplants and their survival, according to the type of donor injury (TBI versus non-TBI), we found similar survival in heart transplant recipients. Future studies should address specific subpopulations (eg, hemorrhagic stroke) in the non-TBI group to address concerns about reduced posttransplant survival.
Case-based discussion on the implications of exogenous estrogens in hemostasis and thrombosis: the hematologist’s view

In the childbearing years, hormonal therapy or hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle or the puerperium may be complicated by bleeding or thrombosis; however, among women with congenital disorders of hemostasis and thrombosis, the risk of bleeding or thrombosis may be increased. In women with congenital bleeding disorders, heavy menstrual bleeding is the most common bleeding symptom, and postpartum hemorrhage occurs despite treatment. Given the limitations of current therapy and the associated medical and psychological burden in women with bleeding disorders, better treatment approaches are needed to improve health outcomes and quality of life. In women with congenital thrombotic disorders, thromboembolism may complicate exogenous hormonal therapy and endogenous hormonal change during pregnancy and procedures, but risk differs by type of thrombophilia, procedure, time at risk, and thrombosis risk factors, all of which affect management. In this article, I shall consider a case-based discussion of current issues in women with congenital bleeding and clotting disorders, including heavy menstrual bleeding in a woman with VWD, postpartum hemorrhage risk in VWD, and thrombosis risk with oocyte retrieval in a woman with factor V Leiden and past thromboembolism. The goals are to review bleeding or thrombosis risk in these cases, current data, limitations of current treatment guidelines, and areas for future study.
Dose and blending fraction quantification for adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction based on low-contrast detectability in abdomen CT.

Purpose The utilization of iterative reconstruction makes it difficult to identify the dose-noise relationship, resulting in empirical design of scan protocols and inconsistent conclusions on dose reduction for consistent image quality. This study was to quantitatively determine the dose and the blending fraction of adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) based on the specified low-contrast detectability (LCD). Methods A tissue equivalent abdomen phantom and a GE discovery 750 HD computed tomography (CT) were utilized. The normality of the noise distribution was tested at various spatial scales (2.1-9.8 mm) in the presence of ASIR (10-100%) with a wide range of doses (2.24-38 mGy). The statically defined minimum detectable contrast (MDC) was used as the image quality metric. The parametric model decomposed the MDC into two terms: one with and the other without ASIR, each was related to the dose in the form of power law with factors and indices dependent on spatial scales. The parameters were identified by least-square fitting to the experimental data. By considering the constraint of the blending fraction in the range of [0, 1], the dose and ASIR blending fraction were determined for any specified low-contrast detectability (LCD), quantified by the MDC at the concerned lesion size. Results It was verified that noise distribution is normal in the presence of ASIR. It was also found that the noises obtained from the subtractions of adjacent slices had an underestimate of 20% as compared to the ground truth noises, regardless of the spatial scale, pitch, or ASIR blending fraction. The least-square fitting for the parametric model resulted in correlation coefficients from 0.905 to 0.996. The root-mean-square errors ranged from 1.27% to 7.15%. Conclusion The parametric model can be used to form a look-up-table for dose and ASIR blending fraction. The dose choices may be substantially limited in some cases depending on the required LCD.