A Phenomenological Study of Elementary Students in Dance Classes

Dance is a language with a variety of structures communicating unique messages using the elements of dance and the products are lived experiences. Using the phenomenological theories of Husserl, the connections to dance of Sheets-Johnstone, and the cognitive studies of Piaget, the purpose of this study was to examine the reflective process as a participant, performer, and audience member within the elementary school dance class. The opinions and ideas of elementary students are not represented within current research and administrators do not consider the students’ voices when developing dance education programming. This phenomenological study describes the assimilation of the elements of dance after experiencing class as well as the cognitive, kinesthetic, and creative reflections of the dance classes in the words and artwork of the participants. All 20 participants are students at a public elementary school in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. The participants experienced dance classes, some completed video recorded interviews, and all created artwork. Through selective coding, the results indicated that elementary students have fun learning and imagining in the dance class environment; further results described happiness and relaxation with the dance class experience. These results will hopefully inspire administrators and policy makers to consider more dance education programming throughout the United States to meet the cognitive, kinesthetic, and creative needs of the elementary school students

Visualization of leukocyte transendothelial and interstitial migration using reflected light oblique transillumination in intravital video microscopy

Dynamic visualization of the intravascular events leading to the extravasation of leukocytes into tissues by intravital microscopy has significantly expanded our understanding of the underlying molecular processes. In contrast, the detailed observation of leukocyte transendothelial and interstitial migration in vivo has been hampered by the poor image contrast of cells within turbid media that is obtainable by conventional brightfield microscopy. Here we present a microscopic method, termed reflected light oblique transillumination microscopy, that makes use of the optical interference phenomena generated by oblique transillumination to visualize subtle gradients of refractive indices within tissues for enhanced image contrast. Using the mouse cremaster muscle, we demonstrate that this technique makes possible the reliable quantification of extravasated leukocytes as well as the characterization of morphological phenomena of leukocyte transendothelial and interstitial migration

Mechanical properties of three-dimensional interconnected alumina/steel metal matrix composites

Three-dimensional interconnected alumina/steel metal matrix composites (MMCs) were produced by pressureless Ti-activated melt infiltration method using three types of Al2O3 powder with different sizes and shapes. By partial sintering during infiltration an interpenetrating ceramic network was realised. The effect of the ceramic particle size and shape on the resulting ceramic network, volume % fraction and the MMC properties is presented. The MMCs were characterised for mechanical properties at room temperature and elevated temperature. An increase in flexural strength and Young's modulus with decreasing particle size has been observed. In addition, the effect of the volume of ceramic content and the surface finish of the MMCs on the wear behaviour is show

Correlation between hybrid capture II high-risk human papillomavirus DNA test chemiluminescence intensity from cervical samples with follow-up histologic results

BACKGROUND: The Hybrid Capture II high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) DNA test is a US Food and Drug Administration-approved nucleic acid hybridization assay using chemiluminescence for the semiquantitative detection of hrHPV in cervical samples. Patient samples and controls are used to calculate results as negative for hrHPV if 2.5, and “equivocal” if between 1.0 and 2.5. METHODS: The authors reported on the cervical histologic results of 209 patients demonstrating “equivocal” results for hrHPV from SurePath (204 patients) or ThinPrep (5 patients) vials, and compared patients in this cohort with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) cytology on the index cervical Papanicolaou (Pap) test (Group 1; n = 148 patients) with a patient cohort demonstrating unequivocal positive hrHPV test results (Group 2; n = 148 patients). The chemiluminescence intensity of hrHPV tests from patients in Group 2 were correlated with the presence and severity of dysplasia on subsequent histologic results, and patients were thereby stratified for their subsequent risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) types II/III. RESULTS: Approximately 97% of hrHPV tests demonstrating “equivocal” results were found to be positive at the time of retesting, and 15% of biopsied cases demonstrated CIN II or III. Results of follow-up histology after an ASC-US diagnosis, expressed as a percentage of the biopsied cohort, were: CIN II/III: 16.5% in Group 1 and 22.4% in Group 2; CIN I: 27% in Group 1 and 23.5% in Group 2; and negative: 56.5% in Group 1 and 54.1% in Group 2. Chemiluminescence intensity did not appear to be correlated with the severity of dysplasia. CONCLUSIONS: The percentage of high-grade CIN in the “equivocal” hrHPV cohort is highly significant and therefore the management of these patients should be similar to the unequivocally positive population. After an unequivocal positive hrHPV test, the hrHPV chemiluminescence intensity does not appear to further predict the rate of high-grade CIN. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/77987/1/20093_ftp.pd

Exotic magnetism in the alkali sesquoxides Rb4O6 and Cs4O6

Among the various alkali oxides the sesquioxides Rb4O6 and Cs4O6 are of special interest. Electronic structure calculations using the local spin-density approximation predicted that Rb4O6 should be a half-metallic ferromagnet, which was later contradicted when an experimental investigation of the temperature dependent magnetization of Rb4O6 showed a low-temperature magnetic transition and differences between zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) measurements. Such behavior is known from spin glasses and frustrated systems. Rb4O6 and Cs4O6 comprise two different types of dioxygen anions, the hyperoxide and the peroxide anions. The nonmagnetic peroxide anions do not contain unpaired electrons while the hyperoxide anions contain unpaired electrons in antibonding pi*-orbitals. High electron localization (narrow bands) suggests that electronic correlations are of major importance in these open shell p-electron systems. Correlations and charge ordering due to the mixed valency render p-electron-based anionogenic magnetic order possible in the sesquioxides. In this work we present an experimental comparison of Rb4O6 and the related Cs4O6. The crystal structures are verified using powder x-ray diffraction. The mixed valency of both compounds is confirmed using Raman spectroscopy, and time-dependent magnetization experiments indicate that both compounds show magnetic frustration, a feature only previously known from d- and f-electron systems

Berry curvature induced anomalous Hall conductivity in the magnetic topological oxide double perovskite Sr₂FeMoO₆

Oxide materials exhibit several structural, magnetic, and electronic properties. Their stability under ambient conditions, easy synthesis, and high transition temperatures provide such systems with an ideal ground for realizing topological properties and real-life technological applications. However, experimental evidence of topological states in oxide materials is rare. In this paper, we have synthesized single crystals of oxide double perovskite Sr2FeMoO6 and revealed its topological nature by investigating its structural, magnetic, and electronic properties. We observed that the system crystallized in the cubic space group Fm3¯m, which is a half-metallic ferromagnet. Transport measurements show an anomalous Hall effect (AHE), and it is evident that the Hall contribution originates from the Berry curvature. Assuming a shift of the Fermi energy toward the conduction band, the contribution of the AHE is enhanced owing to the presence of a gapped nodal line. This paper can be used to explore and realize the topological properties of bulk oxide systems. © 2022 authors. Published by the American Physical Society

Model for tumour growth with treatment by continuous and pulsed chemotherapy

Peer reviewedPreprin

Workload measurement in a communication application operated through a P300-based brain-computer interface

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The role of cell-free hemoglobin and haptoglobin in acute kidney injury in critically ill adults with ARDS and therapy with VV ECMO

Background: Increased plasma concentrations of circulating cell-free hemoglobin (CFH) are supposed to contribute to the multifactorial etiology of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients while the CFH-scavenger haptoglobin might play a protective role. We evaluated the association of CFH and haptoglobin with AKI in patients with an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring therapy with VV ECMO. Methods: Patients with CFH and haptoglobin measurements before initiation of ECMO therapy were identified from a cohort of 1044 ARDS patients and grouped into three CFH concentration groups using a risk stratification. The primary objective was to assess the association of CFH and haptoglobin with KDIGO stage 3 AKI. Further objectives included the identification of a target haptoglobin concentration to protect from CFH-associated AKI. Measurements and main results: Two hundred seventy-three patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of those, 154 patients (56.4%) had AKI at ECMO initiation. The incidence of AKI increased stepwise with increasing concentrations of CFH reaching a plateau at 15 mg/dl. Compared to patients with low [= 15 mg/dl] CFH concentrations had a three- and five-fold increased risk for AKI (adjusted odds ratio [OR] moderate vs. low, 2.69 [95% CI, 1.25-5.95], P = 0.012; and OR high vs. low, 5.47 [2.00-15.9], P = 0.001). Among patients with increased CFH concentrations, haptoglobin plasma levels were lower in patients with AKI compared to patients without AKI. A haptoglobin concentration greater than 2.7 g/l in the moderate and 2.4 g/l in the high CFH group was identified as clinical cutoff value to protect from CFH-associated AKI (sensitivity 89.5% [95% CI, 83-96] and 90.2% [80-97], respectively). Conclusions: In critically ill patients with ARDS requiring therapy with VV ECMO, an increased plasma concentration of CFH was identified as independent risk factor for AKI. Among patients with increased CFH concentrations, higher plasma haptoglobin concentrations might protect from CFH-associated AKI and should be subject of future research

Concerted changes in tropical forest structure and dynamics: evidence from 50 South American long-term plots

Several widespread changes in the ecology of old-growth tropical forests have recently been documented for the late twentieth century, in particular an increase in stem turnover (pan-tropical), and an increase in above-ground biomass (neotropical). Whether these changes are synchronous and whether changes in growth are also occurring is not known. We analysed stand-level changes within 50 long-term. monitoring plots from across South America spanning 1971-2002. We show that: (i) basal area (BA: sum of the cross-sectional areas of all trees in a plot) increased significantly over time (by 0.10 +/- 0.04 m(2) ha(-1) yr(-1), mean +/- 95% CI); as did both (ii) stand-level BA growth rates (sum of the increments of BA of surviving trees and BA of new trees that recruited into a plot); and (iii) stand-level BA mortality rates (sum of the cross-sectional areas of all trees that died in a plot). Similar patterns were observed on a per-stem basis: (i) stem density (number of stems per hectare; 1 hectare is 10(4) m(2)) increased significantly over time (0.94 +/- 0.63 stems ha(-1) yr(-1)); as did both (ii) stem recruitment rates; and (iii) stem mortality rates. In relative terms, the pools of BA and stem density increased by 0.38 +/- 0.15% and 0.18 +/- 0.12% yr(-1), respectively. The fluxes into and out of these pools-stand-level BA growth, stand-level BA mortality, stem recruitment and stem mortality rates-increased, in relative terms, by an order of magnitude more. The gain terms (BA growth, stem recruitment) consistently exceeded the loss terms (BA loss, stem mortality) throughout the period, suggesting that whatever process is driving these changes was already acting before the plot network was established. Large long-term increases in stand-level BA growth and simultaneous increases in stand BA and stem density imply a continent-wide increase in resource availability which is increasing net primary productivity and altering forest dynamics. Continent-wide changes in incoming solar radiation, and increases in atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and air temperatures may have increased resource supply over recent decades, thus causing accelerated growth and increased dynamism across the world's largest tract of tropical forest