The relationship between kindergarten children’s vocal performance and recognition of songs with and without words

The ability to recognize songs has been of interest to researchers over the past decades (Racette & Peretz, 2007; Samson & Zatorre, 1991; Serafine, Davidson, Crowder, & Repp, 1986). Evidence on song perception has shown that melody and words are processed with different degrees of integration and separation (Nakada & Abe, 2009; Saito et al., 2012; Sammler et al., 2010). However, there are few studies investigating song recognition among children (Feierabend, Saunders, Holahan, & Getnick, 1998; Morrongiello & Roes, 1990; Rodrigues & Rodrigues, 2010). Furthermore, how songs are taught both with words and without words, i.e., with a neutral syllable, and how words influence perception of melody and words have not been addressed in depth. Also, results from studies regarding the influence of teaching both types of songs on children’s vocal performances were inconclusive and, in some cases, contradictory. For example, some researchers found that children sing better with words (Levinowitz, 1989; Phillips, 1989). In contrast, other investigations did not support these findings and showed no statistical differences between approaches (Jacobi-Karna, 1996; Lange, 2000; Smale, 1988). Within this context, it is unclear if vocal performance of songs with words and without words is related to the way children perceive melody and words.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Photon-number-resolving segmented avalanche-photodiode detectors

We investigate the feasibility and performance of photon-number-resolved photodetection employing avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with low dark counts. The main idea is to split n photons over m modes such that every mode has no more than one photon, which is detected alongside propagation by an APD. We characterize performance by evaluating the purities of positive-operator-valued measurements (POVMs), in terms of APD number and photon loss.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures, submitted for publicatio

Moderate electric fields effects on whey protein´s structure, interactions and gelation

São Paulo School of Advanced Sciences on Reverse Engineering of Processed Foods[Excerpt] Proteins are important food constituents with a high nutritional and functional value. They are one of the food constituents most affected by heat, causing their unfolding, aggregation and gelation. Ohmic heating’s potential to improve the quality of foodstuffs have been demonstrated due to its uniform and fast heating, together with its presumed moderate electric field (MEF) related effects. The electric effects on foodstuffs, and particularly on proteins, are not yet fully disclosed and understood. [...]This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684), and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. The authors Rui M. Rodrigues, Ricardo N. Pereira, also thank to FCT their financial grants with SFRH/BD/110723/2015, SFRH/BPD/81887/2011, respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

BioRePortAP, an electronic clinical record coupled with a database : an example of its use in a single

Aims: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists in the Rheumatology Department of Hospital de Santa Maria using the BioRePortAP. Methods: The Portuguese Society of Rheumatology (SPR) developed an electronic medical chart coupled with a database for the follow up of PsA patients, the BioRePortAP, which was launched in May 2009. This evaluation was based on all the PsA patients that were on active treatment with TNF antagonists in September 2009 and were registered in the BioRePortAP. All the previous data on these patients were introduced in BioRePortAP using the prospective paper based follow up protocol that this Department was using since 1999. Only patients with more than 9 months of treatment were analyzed. Results: Forty-two patients with PsA, actively treated with anti-TNF agents in September 2009, for at least 9 months, were analyzed in BioRePortAP. Twenty-three patients were male (55%) and nineteen were female (45%). The average age of these patients was 49.8±10.9 years old, the average disease duration was of 10.7±5.6 years and the mean duration of biological therapy was of 37.8±27.8 months. For the 81% of patients with peripheral joint disease there was a mean reduction of more than 80% in the swollen and tender joint counts, and almost 50% in the health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) value. In the 19% of the patients with axial involvement the reduction of BASDAI and BASFI was not statistically significative. On top of that, PASI score suffered a reduction of 64%. Fourteen patients (33.3%) had to switch their TNF antagonist treatment. 58.8% of the switches were due to adverse effects and 41.2% due to therapy failure. Regarding the 56 adverse reactions registered, only one was a severe reaction. The remaining adverse reactions were not severe and 67% of them were due to infections. Discussion: The results of this first report of the use of the BioRePortAP in clinical practice confirm the efficacy and safety of TNF antagonist treatment in PsA. The results shown here elucidate the potential applications of BioRePortAP as a tool for efficacy and safety assessment of PsA patients treated with biotechnological drugs

Inversión de los patrones estacionales de la absorción de carbono en un stand de eucalipto en Portugal

This paper summarizes results between 2002 and 2010 from eddy covariance measurements of carbon uptake in the 12 month annual growing period eucalypt site of Espirra in Southern Portugal (38° 38’N, 8° 36’ W) . This site, aimed for pulp production is part of an intensively 300 ha eucalypt coppice, with about 1100 trees ha–1. The climate is of Mediterranean type. During the measurement period (2002-2010) two main events changed the annual sink pattern of the forest: a drought period of two years (2004-2005) and a tree felling (November and December 2006). Before the felling, annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE) diminished from 865.56 gCm–2 in 2002 to 356.64 gCm–2 in 2005 together with a deep decrease in rainfall from 748 mm in 2002 to 378.58 mm and 396.64 mm in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The eucalypt stand recovered its carbon sink ability in June 2007 with a cumulated NEE of 151 gCm–2 from January to September 2010. A quantitative approach using generalized estimating equations (GEEs) was made to relate monthly NEE, gross primary production (GPP) and soil moisture with the main meteorological variables. Seasonal patterns of carbon uptake were almost opposite in the periods before and after the felling with maxima in April and August, respectively, and this seasonal change is gradually reversing to the pattern before 2006. Drought was the main meteorological driver of these temporal tendencies in carbon uptake.Este documento resume los resultados entre 2002 y 2010 a partir de mediciones de covarianza turbulenta de la absorción de carbono en los 12 meses anuales a los sitios de crecimiento de eucalipto período de Espirra en el sur de Portugal (38° 38’N, 8° 36’ W). Este sitio, con el objetivo para la producción de celulosa es parte de un monte bajo de intensidad 300 hectáreas de eucaliptos, con cerca de 1.100 árboles ha–1. El clima es de tipo mediterráneo. Durante el período de medición (2002-2010) dos eventos principales cambiado el patrón fregadero anual de la selva: un período de sequía de dos años (2004-2005) y la tala de árboles (noviembre y diciembre de 2006). Antes de la tala, el intercambio anual neta de los ecosistemas (NEE) se redujo de 865,56 g cm–2 en 2002 a 356,64 g cm–2 en 2005, junto con una disminución profunda de las precipitaciones de 748 mm en 2002 a 378,58 mm y 396,64 en 2004 y 2005, respectivamente. El eucalipto de pie recupera su capacidad de sumidero de carbono en junio de 2007 con un acumulado de 151 gcm NEE–2 de enero a septiembre de 2010.Una aproximación cuantitativa mediante ecuaciones de estimación generalizada (GEES) se hizo para relacionar mensual NEE, la producción primaria bruta (GPP) y la humedad del suelo con las variables meteorológicas principales.Los patrones estacionales de la absorción de carbono eran casi opuestas en los períodos antes y después de la tala, con máximos en abril y agosto, respectivamente, y este cambio de temporada se va de marcha atrás para el patrón antes de 2006. La sequía fue el principal impulsor de estas tendencias meteorológicas temporal en la absorción de carbono

Reversing of seasonal patterns of carbon uptake in an eucalyptus stand in Portugal after drought and felling

This paper summarizes results between 2002 and 2010 from eddy covariance measurements of carbon uptake in the 12 month annual growing period eucalypt site of Espirra in Southern Portugal (38° 38’N, 8° 36’ W) . This site, aimed for pulp production is part of an intensively 300 ha eucalypt coppice, with about 1100 trees ha–1. The climate is of Mediterranean type. During the measurement period (2002-2010) two main events changed the annual sink pattern of the forest: a drought period of two years (2004-2005) and a tree felling (November and December 2006). Before the felling, annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE) diminished from 865.56 gCm–2 in 2002 to 356.64 gCm–2 in 2005 together with a deep decrease in rainfall from 748 mm in 2002 to 378.58 mm and 396.64 mm in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The eucalypt stand recovered its carbon sink ability in June 2007 with a cumulated NEE of 151 gCm–2 from January to September 2010. A quantitative approach using generalized estimating equations (GEEs) was made to relate monthly NEE, gross primary production (GPP) and soil moisture with the main meteorological variables. Seasonal patterns of carbon uptake were almost opposite in the periods before and after the felling with maxima in April and August, respectively, and this seasonal change is gradually reversing to the pattern before 2006. Drought was the main meteorological driver of these temporal tendencies in carbon uptake