Commercialization of Photodisinfection Technologies

No Abstract

The Mechanism of Therapy by Desensitization

In order to assess whether an autonomic change accompanies desensitization by reciprocal inhibition we exposed two groups of anxious subjects to a stressful situation. One group was 'relaxed' pharmacologically using methoxyflurane. The 'relaxed' group was desensitized to the stress but showed no difference in autonomic responses. We have concluded that reciprocal inhibition acts at a cognitive and affective level, rather than as a purely autonomic change

Processing of Sounds by Population Spikes in a Model of Primary Auditory Cortex

We propose a model of the primary auditory cortex (A1), in which each iso-frequency column is represented by a recurrent neural network with short-term synaptic depression. Such networks can emit Population Spikes, in which most of the neurons fire synchronously for a short time period. Different columns are interconnected in a way that reflects the tonotopic map in A1, and population spikes can propagate along the map from one column to the next, in a temporally precise manner that depends on the specific input presented to the network. The network, therefore, processes incoming sounds by precise sequences of population spikes that are embedded in a continuous asynchronous activity, with both of these response components carrying information about the inputs and interacting with each other. With these basic characteristics, the model can account for a wide range of experimental findings. We reproduce neuronal frequency tuning curves, whose width depends on the strength of the intracortical inhibitory and excitatory connections. Non-simultaneous two-tone stimuli show forward masking depending on their temporal separation, as well as on the duration of the first stimulus. The model also exhibits non-linear suppressive interactions between sub-threshold tones and broad-band noise inputs, similar to the hypersensitive locking suppression recently demonstrated in auditory cortex. We derive several predictions from the model. In particular, we predict that spontaneous activity in primary auditory cortex gates the temporally locked responses of A1 neurons to auditory stimuli. Spontaneous activity could, therefore, be a mechanism for rapid and reversible modulation of cortical processing

Money makes our world go round – funding landscape for polar early-career scientists in Germany

A lot of things in life need money and so does polar science: money is needed to participate in conferences, undertake fieldwork campaigns or pay for salaries, such as in PhD projects or permanent research positions. To give an overview on the general funding landscape for polar early-career scientists in Germany, APECS Germany (the German National Committee of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists, APECS) has started to host a list of grant, fellowship and other funding opportunities at https://apecs-germany.de/funding/ (last access: 15 October 2022). This is visualized in Fig. 1. Once a suitable funding scheme has been found, grant writing requires good preparation, a well-structured and written proposal, and several back-up plans.</p

A small sealed Ta crucible for thermal analysis of volatile metallic samples

Differential thermal analysis on metallic alloys containing volatile elements can be highly problematic. Here we show how measurements can be performed in commercial, small-sample, equipment without modification. This is achieved by using a sealed Ta crucible, easily fabricated from Ta tubing and sealed in a standard arc furnace. The crucible performance is demonstrated by measurements on a mixture of Mg and MgB$_2$, after heating up to 1470$^{\circ}{\rm C}$. We also show data, measured on an alloy with composition Gd$_{40}$Mg$_{60}$, that clearly shows both the liquidus and a peritectic, and is consistent with published phase diagram data

Validierung satellitengestützter Oberflächenhöhen und Höhenänderungsraten in Nordostgrönland unter Verwendung von digitalen Geländemodellen

Satellitenaltimetrie ist ein Verfahren zur flächendeckenden Beobachtung von Oberflächenhöhen. In den Polarregionen spielen die daraus ableitbaren Höhenänderungsraten eine zentrale Rolle bei der Abschätzung von Massenbilanzen kontinentaler Eisschilde. Aktuell befindet sich eine Vielzahl solcher Altimetriesatelliten im Orbit. In Abhängigkeit vom Messverfahren und verbauten Instruments unterscheiden sich gemessene Höhen sowie der Einfluss systematischer Fehler. In dieser Masterarbeit werden für die Region Nordostgrönland Beobachtungen verschiedener Sensoren prozessiert, vergleichend interpretiert und teilweise validiert. Auswertungen erfolgen anhand digitaler Geländemodelle (DGM), wobei neben bereits etablierten Datensätzen ein Workflow zur automatisierten DGM-Generierung anhand von sehr hochaufgelösten optischen Satellitenaufnahmen vorgestellt sowie angewandt wird. Darauf aufbauend findet eine umfassende Validierung der Eisoberflächenhöhen ATL06 des im September 2018 gestarteten ICESat-2 statt. Es wurde gezeigt, dass keine signifikanten systematischen Abweichungen unter den einzelnen Laserstrahlen sowie zwischen aufsteigenden und absteigenden Satellitenspuren bestehen. Auf dem Eisschild wurden Abweichungen bis zu 10 cm und in den Küstengletscherregionen bis zu 70 cm errechnet, wobei das Genauigkeitsniveau von ICESat-2 über dem der Referenzen liegt. Anhand eines ersten Anwendungsbeispieles konnte die sehr gute Eignung von ICESat-2 zur Co-Registrierung von DGMs gezeigt werden. Durch Hinzunahme von Beobachtungen aktueller Radaraltimeter wurden sämtliche über Eisschilden eingesetzte Altimetriesensoren und Messverfahren vergleichend analysiert. Der zeitlich variable Einfluss der Firnstruktur ist von der Wellenlänge des Messsignals abhängig und kann durch Nutzung eines entsprechenden Retracking-Verfahrens minimiert werden. Korrektionen auf Grundlage verschiedener Parameter des Rückkehrsignals sind für den grönländischen Eisschild ungeeignet. Untersuchungen des Topografieeinflusses auf die Beobachtung zeigen ein enormes Fehlerpotential pulslimitierter Radarsysteme ab Geländeneigungen von 0,3°, wohingegen das Laseraltimeter ICESat-2 eine präzise Vermessung rauer Gebirgs- und Gletscherregionen ermöglicht

Organometallic Compounds of the Lanthanides, 41 [1]. The Crystal and Molecular Structure of (C5Me5)2HoCl(THF)

The title compound (1) is obtained as brownish crystals by reaction of HOCl3 with NaC5Me5 in tetrahydrofuran. The structure of 1, which has two slightly different independent molecules per asymmetric unit, has been elucidated by X-ray analysis. The crystals are triclinic with a = 1686.2(8) pm, b = 1816(1) pm, c = 846.5(4) pm, α = 92.02(7)°, β = 92.47(9)°, γ = 63.21(5)°, space group P1̄, D(calcd) = 1.560 g/cm3, and R = 0.0286, for 6219 observed reflections with I > 3σ(I)

Economic and Financial Performance of Supplementary Health Plan Companies

A regulação federal do setor brasileiro de Saúde Suplementar vem estimulando a competitividade entre as empresas atuantes nesse setor, que buscam uma maximização dos seus resultados, além de atender às exigências do órgão regulador. Nesse contexto, o conhecimento do desempenho econômico-financeiro ganha grande importância, uma vez que auxilia e serve como avaliação das decisões organizacionais. Diante disso, o artigo tem como pergunta de pesquisa: Qual é o desempenho econômico-financeiro de operadoras de planos privados de saúde e quais são suas diferenças ao longo dos anos de análise, considerando os índices Retorno sobre Ativo Total, Retorno Operacional sobre Ativo Total, Retorno sobre Patrimônio Líquido, Liquidez Corrente, Endividamento de Curto Prazo e Sinistralidade? O objetivo geral consiste em identificar o desempenho econômico-financeiro de operadoras de planos privados de saúde, e comparar seus resultados entre os anos de 2008 e 2012. Para isso, realizou-se uma pesquisa quantitativa, descritiva e documental, construindo uma base com os dados contábeis das operadoras, para mensurar o desempenho por meio de sete índices econômico-financeiros, e, para a análise e interpretação dos dados, utilizou-se a estatística univariada e o Teste da Mediana. A comparação dos valores medianos dos índices ao longo dos anos evidenciou, como resultado, diferenças estatisticamente significativas nos desempenhos econômico-financeiros das operadoras, quando mensurados pelos índices Retorno sobre Ativo Total, Endividamento de Curto Prazo e Sinistralidade. Os resultados sugerem pesquisas que relacionem o desempenho com a estruturação do setor, e com formas de gestão das operadoras.The federal regulation of the Brazilian sector of Supplementary Health has been stimulating competitiveness between companies specialised in this area, who seek a maximization of results, in addition to meeting the requirements of said regulation. In this context, the knowledge of the economic-financial performance becomes very important, since it assists and serves as assessment of organizational decisions. So this article has as its research question: how is the economic-financial performance of health private plan operators going and what have been the differences between them over the years, considering the following indicators: Return on Total Assets, Operational Return on Total Assets, Return on Equity, Current Liquidity, Short-Term Debt and Loss? The overall objective is to identify the economic-financial performance of health private plan companies, as well as comparing its results inn the years 2008 to 2012. For this, a quantitative descriptive and documentary research was carried out, building a database with the accounting information from the companies to measure the performance through seven economic-financial indexes, and for data analysis and  interpretation, univariate statistics and the Median Test were done. The comparison of the median values of the indexes over the years showed, as a result, statistically significant differences in the companies’ economic-financial performances, when measured by the Return on Total Assets, Short-term Debt and Loss ratios. The results suggest further researches that relate performance to the structuring of the sector., including the companies’ management ways

ARRANJOS ORGANIZACIONAIS DE BIOTÉRIOS EM UNIVERSIDADES PÚBLICAS BRASILEIRAS

Os biotérios são instalações que oferecem serviços de apoio para a reprodução, manutenção e experimentos com animais de laboratórios na pesquisa biomédica em diferentes organizações, incluindo as universidades públicas brasileiras. A recente demanda por alinhamento das práticas administrativas com os procedimentos definidos pela legislação brasileira requer formas organizacionais e modelos de gestão éticos e eficazes. O objetivo geral deste artigo é colocar em debate a questão dos arranjos organizacionais de biotérios em universidades públicas brasileiras. Os objetivos específicos são: 1) desenvolver uma equivalência categórica da tipologia proposta por CGEE (2003) com os arranjos organizacionais propostos por Mintzberg (2012); 2) constatar, por meio de um levantamento empírico, uma representação dos arranjos organizacionais típicos na realidade brasileira; 3) discutir as bases de um modelo de desenvolvimento organizacional, as possibilidades e limitações dos arranjos organizacionais típicos estudados. O presente trabalho empregou o método tipológico, conforme Marconi e Lakatos (2005). Como resultado, discute-se as bases de um modelo de desenvolvimento organizacional e apresenta-se um mapeamento das possibilidades e limitações de arranjos organizacionais típicos em relação aos processo de pesquisa translacional. A conclusão é que três formas organizacionais ideais estruturam os biotérios em universidades públicas brasileiras. Propomos uma trajetória de desenvolvimento organizacional por meio da interconexão de tipos de ideias ao longo do tempo. Cada tipo ideal, na prática, carrega um conjunto de possibilidades e limitações. O processo de gestão deveria considera-las. As contribuições são o avanço das questões sobre os arranjos organizacionais de biotérios aos públicos acadêmico e prático no campo de pesquisa translacional