A theory-based approach to teaching young children about health: A recipe for understanding.

The theory–theory account of conceptual development posits that children's concepts are integrated into theories. Concept-learning studies have documented the central role that theories play in children's learning of experimenter-defined categories but have yet to extensively examine complex, real-world concepts, such as health. The present study examined whether providing young children with coherent and causally related information in a theory-based lesson would facilitate their learning about the concept of health. This study used a pretest/lesson/posttest design, plus a 5-month follow-up. Children were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: theory (i.e., 20 children received a theory-based lesson), nontheory (i.e., 20 children received a nontheory-based lesson), and control (i.e., 20 children received no lesson). Overall, the results showed that children in the theory condition had a more accurate conception of health than children in the nontheory and control conditions, suggesting the importance of theories in children's learning of complex, real-world concepts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Morphology study of progesterone polymorphs prepared by polymer‐induced heteronucleation (PIHn)

In this article, morphology of progesterone polymorphs prepared by polymer‐induced heteronucleation (PIHn) technique was studied. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose(HPMC), such as dextran T‐500 and gelatin G‐9382, polyisoprene (PI), and acrylonitrile/butadiene copolymer (NBR) were used as substrates. The crystallizations were performed by solvent evaporation at room temperature from 0.5, 10, and 40 mg/ml solutions in chloroform and acetone. Progesterone polymorphs were identified by X‐ray diffraction. Differential scanning calorimetry and total attenuated reflectance infrared spectroscopy were used as complementary techniques in the identification. Depending on the polymeric matrix and the concentration used, form 1, form 2, or mixture of both polymorphs were obtained. Scanning electron microscopy pictures evidenced difference in morphology and in homogeneity of the two progesterone polymorphs. These polymorphs prepared by PIHn, did not present a distinctive morphology that allows identifying polymorph by its crystal habit. Hence, polymeric matrix induced the crystallization, affecting polymorphism and morphology. SCANNING 35:213‐221, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Rawseeds ground truth collection systems for indoor self-localization and mapping

A trustable and accurate ground truth is a key requirement for benchmarking self-localization and mapping algorithms; on the other hand, collection of ground truth is a complex and daunting task, and its validation is a challenging issue. In this paper we propose two techniques for indoor ground truth collection, developed in the framework of the European project Rawseeds, which are mutually independent and also independent on the sensors onboard the robot. These techniques are based, respectively, on a network of fixed cameras, and on a network of fixed laser scanners. We show how these systems are implemented and deployed, and, most importantly, we evaluate their performance; moreover, we investigate the possible fusion of their outputs.     

The Cost of Irrigation Water Delivery: An Attempt to Reconcile the Concepts of Cost and Efficiency

This work discusses the conflict between two of the main objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive: cost recovery and economic efficiency in the use of irrigation water. In the Mediterranean region, this conflict is commonly embedded in a state of under-utilization of irrigation networks managed by Water User Associations (WUAs). This under-utilization arises from factors independent of farmers’ choice, such as water shortage, crises in the sector, and changes to the Common Agricultural Policy. This prevents the facilities from operating at the minimum average cost. This paper argues that farmers should not suffer this inefficiency, which results in them paying higher water prices to cover the costs of water supply. Indeed, the application of the Water Directive should be rethought, taking into account the specific problems related to irrigation in the Mediterranean region. Based on an econometric analysis of the costs of water distribution in a WUA in Sardinia (Italy), we propose a payment system based on two components. Primarily there is a fee related to the number of hectares under irrigation. In addition there is a fee that considers the intensity of irrigation: this component is to encourage farmers to save water. The results show that the proposed approach has some desirable effects, including higher rates of cost recovery and possibly a reduction in the use of groundwater. Finally, the proposed system is not overly expensive for the rest of the community, who must bear the costs of inefficiencies in the use of irrigation water that do not depend on choices of farmers.     

Estimation of two-dimensional affine transformations through polar curve matching and its application to image mosaicking and remote-sensing data registration.

This paper presents a new and effective method for estimating two-dimensional affine transformations and its application to image registration. The method is based on matching polar curves obtained from the radial projections of the image energies, defined as the squared magnitudes of their Fourier transforms. Such matching is formulated as a simple minimization problem whose optimal solution is found with the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm. The analysis of affine transformations in the frequency domain exploits the well-known property whereby the translational displacement in this domain can be factored out and separately estimated through phase correlation after the four remaining degrees of freedom of the affine warping have been determined. Another important contribution of this paper, emphasized through one example of image mosaicking and one example of remote sensing image registration, consists in showing that affine motion can be accurately estimated by applying our algorithm to the shapes of macrofeatures extracted from the images to register. The excellent performance of the algorithm is also shown through a synthetic example of motion estimation and its comparison with another standard registration technique.     

Reliable indirect competitive ELISA used for a survey of ochratoxin A in green coffee from the North of Paraná State, Brazil.

The performance of an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) based on a monoclonal antibody (mAb) for ochratoxin A (OTA) detection was evaluated in a comparative study with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis using 68 freshly harvested coffee samples from the North of Paraná State, Brazil. The anti-OTA mAb showed high specificity and low cross-reactivity with OTA analogues (OTB and OTalpha), but cross-reacted with OTC. This ic-ELISA showed a detection limit of 3.75 ngg-1 sample, when compared to 0.80 ngg-1 by HPLC, with an ic-ELISA/HPLC correlation coefficient of 0.90. As regards OTA analysis of these coffee samples, natural contamination was detected in 10 samples (14.7%) by both methods, where the ic-ELISA values (range 3.9-7.3 ngg-1) were 1.1 to 1.6-fold higher than HPLC data (2.7-4.7 ngg-1). Five samples (7.4%) were OTA positive (range 0.84-1.30 ngg-1) only by HPLC assay, probably due to the higher detection limit reached by ic-ELISA. OTA was undetectable in 53 samples (77.9%) by both methods, while all positive samples (range 0.84-7.30 ngg-1) showed OTA levels lower than 8 ngg-1 (maximum limit recommended by the European Union). The matrix interference of green coffee was minimized by dilution of sample extracts before carrying out the ELISA assay. This mAb-based ic-ELISA can be effectively applied for OTA screening in coffee, because it is simple, sensitive and sample preparation is easy.     

Aorta transplantation in man: clinical and immunological studies

Aortic transplantation has progressively gained interest over the last few years and it is becoming a first choice indication in the substitution of infected prostheses. The most frequent complication in long-term vascular outcome (wall thickening, aneurysmatic dilation, stenosis), may occur through an immunological mechanism. In this study we investigated nine recipients, aged 48 to 65 years, of aorta segment replacement for anti-HLA antibody production (specificity and Ig class), CD3-CD4-CD8 T cell subpopulation dynamics and aorta wall thickness. Mismatch-specific IgG antibodies to HLA class I and HLA class II antigens were detected 1, 3 and 6 months after transplantation and persisted at a high concentration for at least 1 year. Furthermore, the absolute number of CD3, CD4 and CD8 positive lymphocytes increased progressively after aorta allograft. Tomography scanning showed a progressive thickness of the aorta wall. We can speculate that these anti-HLA antibodies in the recipients have the potential to harm the implant; therefore, aorta allograft should involve the induction of immunological tolerance by appropriate immunosuppressants.