'Sounds of Intent' : Mapping musical behaviour and development in children and young people with complex needs

This article reports on the first year of an Esmae Fairbairn Foundation-funded research project into the design and evaluation of an original 'framework' for mapping the behaviour and development in, and through, music for children with complex needs, specifically those with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). An initial four-month design and pilot phase critiqued and evaluated a framework that was grounded in video-based iterative analyses of individual case studies that had been collected during the previous two years. The piloting phase was followed by a sustained period of classroom-based music lesson observation in five special schools over a period of seven months. A total of 630 observations were made using the framework for 68 participants whose ages ranged from 4 years 7 months to 19 years 1 month. Subsequent analyses support the general design features of the observational framework and provide new evidence of PMLD musical behaviour and development

Η ρητορική της αυτοπαρουσίασης στο ιστορικό έργο του Βελλήιου Πατέρκουλου

Με την παρούσα μελέτη προτείνεται μια συστηματική ερμηνευτική προσέγγιση του ιστορικού έργου του Βελλήιου Πατέρκουλου μέσω της ανάδειξης συγκεκριμένων λεξιλογικών, υφολογικών και αφηγηματικών επιλογών οι οποίες συνοψίζουν αυτό που μπορεί να αποδοθεί ως «ρητορική της αυτοπαρουσίασης». Εκκινώντας από την βάσιμη υπόθεση περί της ειδολογικής συγγένειας του ιστοριογραφικού είδους με αυτό της ρητορείας, επιχειρώ να αποδείξω ότι ο Βελλήιος κατασκευάζει την δική του συγγραφική ταυτότητα επί τη βάσει της σύνδεσης της αφηγηματικής του persona με την ενισχυμένη προβολή ενός κυρίαρχου ρητορικού «εγώ». Ύστερα από την πολύτιμη συμβολή του Woodman στην θεμελίωση του ρητορικού υποβάθρου που συνέχει την ιστορική αφήγηση του Βελλήιου, η διερεύνηση του βαθμού της λογοτεχνικής αυτοσυνειδησίας του συγγραφέα αποτελεί desideratum για την σχετική με το έργο του ιστορικού έρευνα. Ως εκ τούτου, κρίθηκε σκόπιμο να διαρθρωθεί η παρούσα μελέτη με βάση τρεις δομικούς άξονες οι οποίοι αντιστοιχούν στα επιμέρους κεφάλαια που συγκροτούν τον πυρήνα της. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο εξετάζονται οι παρεκβάσεις του έργου στις οποίες ο Βελλήιος διατρέχει ειδικά την προγενέστερη αρχαιοελληνική και ρωμαϊκή λογοτεχνική παράδοση, ενώ ξεχωριστή αναφορά γίνεται στον θεωρητικό προβληματισμό που αναπτύσσεται εντός του έργου για την εξέλιξη των λογοτεχνικών ειδών και για τους επιφανέστερους εκπροσώπους τους. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, αποτιμάται ο βαθμός επίδρασης του κικερώνειου θεωρητικού στοχασμού στην ανάπτυξη της ιστορικής αφήγησης του Βελλήιου, και κατ’ επέκταση στην συγκρότηση της συγγραφικής του ταυτότητας. Παράλληλα, η πραγμάτευση του φαινομένου της aemulatio σε ιστοριογραφικά συμφραζόμενα χρησιμεύει ως ερμηνευτικό εργαλείο για την κατανόηση του τρόπου με τον οποίο ο Βελλήιος αφενός πραγματεύεται εκ νέου την προγενέστερη λογοτεχνική παράδοση (έπος, τραγωδία, κωμωδία, ρητορεία, ιστοριογραφία, φιλοσοφία, σάτιρα), αφετέρου διαλέγεται με το λογοτεχνικό και πνευματικό περιβάλλον της εποχής του, η διαμόρφωση του οποίου επηρεάζεται από την κυριαρχία της ρητορικής θεωρίας στους χώρους διδασκαλίας. Στο δεύτερο και εκτενέστερο μέρος διερευνώνται οι μεταλογοτεχνικές δηλώσεις του ιστορικού ως ρητορικοί μηχανισμοί για την ανάδειξη της ιδιαίτερης σχέσης του συγγραφικού υποκειμένου με το έργο του. Ιδιαίτερη έμφαση αποδίδεται στις επίμονες αναφορές του Βελλήιου σε έννοιες που ανακαλούν την ειδολογική ταυτότητα του έργου και λειτουργούν ως άξονες οργάνωσης της ιστορικής αφήγησης [breuitas, festinatio, transcursus, forma, ordo, (iustum) opus]. Υποστηρίζεται ότι η συνεχής δικαιολόγηση των αφηγηματικών επιλογών του ιστορικού λειτουργεί προς όφελος της αυτοπροβολής του, ενώ προς αυτή την κατεύθυνση φαίνεται ότι συνεπικουρεί και η κυρίαρχη αίσθηση οπτικοποίησης των γεγονότων τα οποία παρουσιάζονται στην ιστορική αφήγηση. Επιπλέον, διερευνάται η προσεκτική χρήση όρων με ρητορική λειτουργία (locus, imago), οι οποίοι θέτουν στο επίκεντρο του ενδιαφέροντος του Ρωμαίου ιστορικού την έννοια της memoria, μέσω της οποίας επιχειρεί και ο ίδιος να καθιερωθεί στο ιστοριογραφικό είδος. Το τρίτο και τελευταίο μέρος της παρούσας εργασίας αφιερώνεται στην εξέταση των αποστροφών του Βελλήιου προς τον αποδέκτη του έργου, τον Μ. Βινίκιο. Επιδιώκω να καταδείξω ότι η συχνότητα στην χρήση του υφολογικού μέσου της αποστροφής συντελεί στην ενίσχυση της παρουσίας του Βελλήιου μέσω της αφηγηματικής persona που ελέγχει την ροή της ιστορικής αφήγησης. Η αποστροφή εισάγει το πρόσωπο του Βινίκιου στην αφήγηση του Βελλήιου και επισφραγίζει το ρητορικό αποτέλεσμα στο οποίο προσβλέπει ο ιστορικός, το οποίο αφορά ειδικά στο πλαίσιο επικοινωνίας που δημιουργείται ανάμεσα στον Βελλήιο ως πομπό και τον Βινίκιο ως αποδέκτη. Με άλλα λόγια, διευκρινίζεται ότι η αποστροφή εξυπηρετεί την προβολή της σχέσης Βελλήιου-Βινίκιου εντός του έργου και προσανατολίζει την προσοχή του αναγνώστη στην κυρίαρχη αφηγηματική φωνή, η οποία ταυτίζεται με τον ίδιο τον συγγραφέα της επιτομής. Τα θεμελιώδη ερωτήματα που διαμορφώνουν το μεθοδολογικό πλαίσιο της ανάλυσης είναι τα εξής: α. πώς το ιστορικό έργο του Βελλήιου αλληλεπιδρά με το λογοτεχνικό και, ευρύτερα, πολιτισμικό περιβάλλον της Ρώμης των πρώιμων αυτοκρατορικών χρόνων; β. ποιες λογοτεχνικές τεχνικές και ποιες υφολογικές επιλογές λειτουργούν ως ρητορικοί μηχανισμοί για την ανάδειξη της συγγραφικής δυναμικής του ιστορικού, άρα και ως συντελεστές του λογοτεχνικού αυτοπροσδιορισμού του;The principal aim of this study is to fill the void in the study of the Tiberian historian Velleius Paterculus by providing a comprehensive account of the rhetorical nature of Velleius’ historical narrative. Velleius Paterculus has not been among Roman historians much favored by scholarship, and a study of this magnitude has not been hitherto attempted in the field of classical studies. In recent years, one brief article by Eleni Peraki-Kyriakidou represents the only known effort in Greek language towards appreciating the historical work of Velleius, which nonetheless seems to limit itself to the treatment of one thematic pattern of Velleius’ opus, i.e. the death narratives throughout the historical work. The present study purports to contribute to the interpretation of Velleius’ historical work by illustrating how the careful application of certain vocabulary selection, stylistic devices and narrative choices effectively brings about what I may call ‘rhetoric of self-presentation’. Building upon the reasonable assumption of the generic affinity between historiography and oratory, I argue that Velleius constructs a distinct authorial identity by establishing a dominant rhetorical ‘I’ at the core of his narrative persona. Following Woodman’s valuable contribution to the rhetorical background of Velleius’ historical narrative, the exploration of the extent to which Velleius’ literary self-consciousness is a primary force in reading this historical work has remained a desideratum in the area of Velleian studies. The present study seeks to explore this issue as concisely as possible. The discussion spreads across three chapters in total, which constitute the core of my research. In the first chapter, I propose to examine the literary excursus of Velleius’ work which traverse through the ancient Greek and Latin literary tradition. Special emphasis will be placed on Velleius’ theoretical discussion of the development of literary genres and of the eminent representatives of each genre. More specifically, I propose to assess the degree of the influence of the Ciceronian rhetorical theory on the development of Velleius’ narrative, and, by extension, on the forging of his own authorial identity. Along parallel lines, the treatment of the concept of aemulatio in a historical context will serve as an interpretive tool for the better understanding of the way in which Velleius re-contextualises the past literary tradition and interacts with the literary and cultural environment of his own era. In order to accomplish the latter, Velleius relies firmly on rhetorical theory. My primary goal has been to gather all the explicit metaliterary references in Velleius’ narrative and to examine them as rhetorical devices intended to illustrate the distinct relationship between the authorial self and the opus itself. This is accomplished in the second chapter of the proposed study. I center on Velleius’ striking employment of recurring terminology which conveys the generic orientation of the historical work. As I make clear, rhetorical terminology [e.g. breuitas, festinatio, transcursus, forma, ordo, (iustum) opus] determines the narrative structure of the work. I further argue that Velleius’ primary concern over the justification of his narrative choices underscores authorial self-presentation, and that the prevailing notion of narrative visualisation points to the same direction. In this context, I pay close attention to the dynamics of carefully and consciously selected rhetorical terms that draw readers’ attention to the semantic spectrum of memoria, through which Velleius seeks to establish himself as a Roman historian. Velleius’ frequent use of apostrophe as a form of direct address to Marcus Vinicius, the dedicatee of the historical work is examined in the final chapter of this thesis. I aim to make clear that the frequency and prominence of the apostrophe as a stylistic device throughout the work tellingly confirms and enhances the presence of the constructed rhetorical ‘I’, which reflects Velleius’ role as a sophisticated transmitter. Significantly, Velleius’ recourse to apostrophe highlights the author-addressee relationship, thus contributing to the historian’s desired rhetorical effectiveness

Dosimetric validation for an automatic brain metastases planning software using single-isocenter dynamic conformal arcsDosimetric validation for an automatic brain metastases planning software using single-isocenter dynamic conformal arcs.

An automatic brain-metastases planning (ABMP) software has been installed in our institution. It is dedicated for treating multiple brain metastases with radiosurgery on linear accelerators (linacs) using a single-setup isocenter with noncoplanar dynamic conformal arcs. This study is to validate the calculated absolute dose and dose distribution of ABMP. Three types of measurements were performed to validate the planning software: 1, dual micro ion chambers were used with an acrylic phantom to measure the absolute dose; 2, a 3D cylindrical phantom with dual diode array was used to evaluate 2D dose distribution and point dose for smaller targets; and 3, a 3D pseudo-in vivo patient-specific phantom filled with polymer gels was used to evaluate the accuracy of 3D dose distribution and radia-tion delivery. Micro chamber measurement of two targets (volumes of 1.2 cc and 0.9 cc, respectively) showed that the percentage differences of the absolute dose at both targets were less than 1%. Averaged GI passing rate of five different plans measured with the diode array phantom was above 98%, using criteria of 3% dose difference, 1 mm distance to agreement (DTA), and 10% low-dose threshold. 3D gel phantom measurement results demonstrated a 3D displacement of nine targets of 0.7 ± 0.4 mm (range 0.2 ~ 1.1 mm). The averaged two-dimensional (2D) GI passing rate for several region of interests (ROI) on axial slices that encompass each one of the nine targets was above 98% (5% dose difference, 2 mm DTA, and 10% low-dose threshold). Measured D95, the minimum dose that covers 95% of the target volume, of the nine targets was 0.7% less than the calculated D95. Three different types of dosimetric verification methods were used and proved the dose calculation of the new automatic brain metastases planning (ABMP) software was clinical acceptable. The 3D pseudo-in vivo patient-specific gel phantom test also served as an end-to-end test for validating not only the dose calculation, but the treatment delivery accuracy as well

Combined Ground Deformation Study Of Broader Area Of Patras Gulf (W. Greece) Using PSI-WAP, DGPS And Seismicity Analyses

Long-term ground deformation monitoring using the Persistent Scatterer Interferometry Wide Area Product (PSI-WAP) technique for the period 1992-2003, combined with Differential GPS measurements and seismicity analysis has provided useful information about the tectonic motions of the tectonically complex area of Patras Gulf (Western Greece), and lead to new insights on the geotectonic regime of this region. Descending ERS radar images were used to compile the PSI-WAP product that has been calibrated using the absolute velocity field of available GPS stations in the area. It has been found that the deformation of the southern part of Patras Gulf near the coastline has been characterized by considerable subsidence (>-5mm/yr), where unconsolidated sediments usually prevail, compared to the northern part of the gulf. Significant subsidence has also been identified in areas along the down-throw side of possible faults, as well as areas where extensive ground water pumping has occurred for irrigation. These results correlate well with local GPS and seismicity data

Dialogue Act Modeling for Automatic Tagging and Recognition of Conversational Speech

We describe a statistical approach for modeling dialogue acts in conversational speech, i.e., speech-act-like units such as Statement, Question, Backchannel, Agreement, Disagreement, and Apology. Our model detects and predicts dialogue acts based on lexical, collocational, and prosodic cues, as well as on the discourse coherence of the dialogue act sequence. The dialogue model is based on treating the discourse structure of a conversation as a hidden Markov model and the individual dialogue acts as observations emanating from the model states. Constraints on the likely sequence of dialogue acts are modeled via a dialogue act n-gram. The statistical dialogue grammar is combined with word n-grams, decision trees, and neural networks modeling the idiosyncratic lexical and prosodic manifestations of each dialogue act. We develop a probabilistic integration of speech recognition with dialogue modeling, to improve both speech recognition and dialogue act classification accuracy. Models are trained and evaluated using a large hand-labeled database of 1,155 conversations from the Switchboard corpus of spontaneous human-to-human telephone speech. We achieved good dialogue act labeling accuracy (65% based on errorful, automatically recognized words and prosody, and 71% based on word transcripts, compared to a chance baseline accuracy of 35% and human accuracy of 84%) and a small reduction in word recognition error.Comment: 35 pages, 5 figures. Changes in copy editing (note title spelling changed

Switched Wave Packets with Spectrally Truncated Chirped Pulses

A new technique for obtaining switched wave packets using spectrally truncated chirped laser pulses is demonstrated experimentally and numerically by one-dimensional alignment of both linear and asymmetric top molecules. Using a simple long-pass transmission filter, a pulse with a slow turn on and a rapid turn off is produced. The degree of alignment, characterized by $\langle\cos^2\theta_\text{2D}\rangle$ rises along with the pulse intensity and reaches a maximum at the peak of the pulse. After truncation $\langle\cos^2\theta_\text{2D}\rangle$ drops sharply but exhibits pronounced half and full revivals. The experimental alignment dynamics trace agrees very well with a numerically calculated trace based on solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. However, the extended periods of field-free alignment of asymmetric tops following pulse truncation reported previously is not reproduced in our work.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Association Between Hospital Cardiac Catheter Laboratory Status, Use of an Invasive Strategy, and Outcomes After NSTEMI

The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of all of the hospitals and health professionals who participate in the MINAP registry.Peer reviewedPostprin

Melting artificial spin ice

Artificial spin ice arrays of micromagnetic islands are a means of engineering additional energy scales and frustration into magnetic materials. Despite much progress in elucidating the properties of such arrays, the `spins' in the systems studied so far have no thermal dynamics as the kinetic constraints are too high. Here we address this problem by using a material with an ordering temperature near room temperature. By measuring the temperature dependent magnetization in different principal directions, and comparing with simulations of idealized statistical mechanical models, we confirm a dynamical `pre-melting' of the artificial spin ice structure at a temperature well below the intrinsic ordering temperature of the island material. We thus create a spin ice array that has real thermal dynamics of the artificial spins over an extended temperature range

Campylobacter jejuni genotypes are associated with post-infection irritable bowel syndrome in humans

Campylobacter enterocolitis may lead to post-infection irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS) and while some C. jejuni strains are more likely than others to cause human disease, genomic and virulence characteristics promoting PI-IBS development remain uncharacterized. We combined pangenome-wide association studies and phenotypic assays to compare C. jejuni isolates from patients who developed PI-IBS with those who did not. We show that variation in bacterial stress response (Cj0145_phoX), adhesion protein (Cj0628_CapA), and core biosynthetic pathway genes (biotin: Cj0308_bioD; purine: Cj0514_purQ; isoprenoid: Cj0894c_ispH) were associated with PI-IBS development. In vitro assays demonstrated greater adhesion, invasion, IL-8 and TNFα secretion on colonocytes with PI-IBS compared to PI-no-IBS strains. A risk-score for PI-IBS development was generated using 22 genomic markers, four of which were from Cj1631c, a putative heme oxidase gene linked to virulence. Our finding that specific Campylobacter genotypes confer greater in vitro virulence and increased risk of PI-IBS has potential to improve understanding of the complex host-pathogen interactions underlying this condition