Defining critical literacy

This article traces the lineage of critical literacy from Freire through critical pedagogies and discourse analysis. The author discusses the need for a contingent definition of critical literacy, as a situated and contextual response to political economies, institutional and cultural relations of power.

Axial length and choroidal thickness changes accompanying prolonged accommodation in myopes and emmetropes

The time course of elongation and recovery of axial length associated with a 30 minute accommodative task was studied using optical low coherence reflectometry in a population of young adult myopic (n = 37) and emmetropic (n = 22) subjects. Ten of the 59 subjects were excluded from analysis either due to inconsistent accommodative response, or incomplete anterior biometry data. Those subjects with valid data (n = 49) were found to exhibit a significant axial elongation immediately following the commencement of a 30 minute, 4 D accommodation task, which was sustained for the duration of the task, and ¬was evident to a lesser extent immediately following task cessation. During the accommodation task, on average, the myopic subjects exhibited 22 ± 34 µm, and the emmetropic subjects 6 ± 22 µm of axial elongation, however the differences in axial elongation between the myopic and emmetropic subjects were not statistically significant (p = 0.136). Immediately following the completion of the task, the myopic subjects still exhibited an axial elongation (mean magnitude 12 ± 28 µm), that was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than the changes in axial length observed in the emmetropic subjects (mean change -3 ± 16 µm). Axial length had returned to baseline levels 10 minutes after completion of the accommodation task. The time for recovery from accommodation-induced axial elongation was greater in myopes, which may reflect differences in the biomechanical properties of the globe associated with refractive error. Changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness were able to be measured in 37 of the 59 subjects, and a small amount of choroidal thinning was observed during the accommodation task that was statistically significant in the myopic subjects (p < 0.05). These subfoveal choroidal changes could account for some but not all of the increased axial length during accommodation.

Dynamics of contour, object and face processing in the human visual cortex

The neural basis of visual perception can be understood only when the sequence of cortical activity underlying successful recognition is known. The early steps in this processing chain, from retina to the primary visual cortex, are highly local, and the perception of more complex shapes requires integration of the local information. In Study I of this thesis, the progression from local to global visual analysis was assessed by recording cortical magnetoencephalographic (MEG) responses to arrays of elements that either did or did not form global contours. The results demonstrated two spatially and temporally distinct stages of processing: The first, emerging 70 ms after stimulus onset around the calcarine sulcus, was sensitive to local features only, whereas the second, starting at 130 ms across the occipital and posterior parietal cortices, reflected the global configuration. To explore the links between cortical activity and visual recognition, Studies II III presented subjects with recognition tasks of varying levels of difficulty. The occipito-temporal responses from 150 ms onwards were closely linked to recognition performance, in contrast to the 100-ms mid-occipital responses. The averaged responses increased gradually as a function of recognition performance, and further analysis (Study III) showed the single response strengths to be graded as well. Study IV addressed the attention dependence of the different processing stages: Occipito-temporal responses peaking around 150 ms depended on the content of the visual field (faces vs. houses), whereas the later and more sustained activity was strongly modulated by the observers attention. Hemodynamic responses paralleled the pattern of the more sustained electrophysiological responses. Study V assessed the temporal processing capacity of the human object recognition system. Above sufficient luminance, contrast and size of the object, the processing speed was not limited by such low-level factors. Taken together, these studies demonstrate several distinct stages in the cortical activation sequence underlying the object recognition chain, reflecting the level of feature integration, difficulty of recognition, and direction of attention.

Joint Regression and Association Models for Repeated Categorical Responses

The focus of this study is on statistical analysis of categorical responses, where the response values are dependent of each other. The most typical example of this kind of dependence is when repeated responses have been obtained from the same study unit. For example, in Paper I, the response of interest is the pneumococcal nasopharengyal carriage (yes/no) on 329 children. For each child, the carriage is measured nine times during the first 18 months of life, and thus repeated respones on each child cannot be assumed independent of each other. In the case of the above example, the interest typically lies in the carriage prevalence, and whether different risk factors affect the prevalence. Regression analysis is the established method for studying the effects of risk factors. In order to make correct inferences from the regression model, the associations between repeated responses need to be taken into account. The analysis of repeated categorical responses typically focus on regression modelling. However, further insights can also be gained by investigating the structure of the association. The central theme in this study is on the development of joint regression and association models. The analysis of repeated, or otherwise clustered, categorical responses is computationally difficult. Likelihood-based inference is often feasible only when the number of repeated responses for each study unit is small. In Paper IV, an algorithm is presented, which substantially facilitates maximum likelihood fitting, especially when the number of repeated responses increase. In addition, a notable result arising from this work is the freely available software for likelihood-based estimation of clustered categorical responses.

Implications of rapid footpoint motions of photospheric flux tubes for coronal heating

Some recent observations at Pic-du-Midi (Mulleret al., 1992a) suggest that the photospheric footpoints of coronal magnetic field lines occasionally move rapidly with typical velocities of the order 3 km s–1 for about 3 or 4 min. We argue that such occasional rapid footpoint motions could have a profound impact on the heating of the quiet corona. Qualitative estimates indicate that these occasional rapid motions can account for the entire energy flux needed to heat the quiet corona. We therefore carry out a mathematical analysis to study in detail the response of a vertical thin flux tube to photospheric footpoint motions in terms of a superposition of linear kink modes for an isothermal atmosphere. We find the resulting total energy that is asymptotically injected into an isothermal atmosphere (i.e., an atmosphere without any back reflection). By using typical parameter values for fast and slow footpoint motions, we show that, even if the footpoints spend only 2.5% of the time undergoing rapid motions, still these rapid motions could be more efficient in transporting energy to the corona than the slow motions that take place most of the time.

Avaliação de ligações soldadas de perfis tubulares em estruturas de aço através do método dos elementos finitos.

A necessidade de se obter soluções para os diversos problemas estruturais na engenharia, associado ao amplo crescimento e difusão da construção metálica fez surgir, por volta dos anos 60, os perfis tubulares. As ligações soldadas entre perfis tubulares são as ligações de maior difusão nas construções com este tipo de perfil, sendo necessário portanto, estudos mais detalhados que tornem a utilização de ligações soldadas mais seguras e otimizadas. O Eurocode 3 possui um item específico para as ligações entre perfis tubulares, em especial as ligações soldadas devido a suas particularidades. Infelizmente, a norma brasileira NBR8800 não aborda as ligações envolvendo perfis tubulares. Para a execução da análise numérica no presente trabalho, faz-se necessário uma revisão bibliográfica. Com estes resultados, foram feitas modelagens de ligações tubulares com o método dos elementos finitos de forma a otimizar os modelos a serem utilizados em uma análise paramétrica futura. Desta forma, foram desenvolvidos dois modelos numéricos, um considerando ligação tipo T entre perfis tubulares quadrados e outro para uma ligação tipo K entre perfis circulares. Estes modelos foram caracterizados através de elementos de casca com seis graus de liberdade por nó considerando-se adicionalmente o efeito de membrana. A análise não-linear realizada considerou a não-linearidade do material através do critério de plastificação de Von Mises através de uma lei constitutiva tensão versus deformação bi-linear e a não-linearidade geométrica foi atribuída através da formulação de Lagrange atualizado. Dentre as principais conclusões obtidas no presente trabalho, pode-se citar que os resultados para as ligações tipo T, o Eurocode 3, fornece resultados que precisam ser observados com cautela. Todavia, para as ligações do tipo K, os resultados numéricos mostraram-se sempre inferiores aos valores através do Eurocode 3, representando um dimensionamento a favor da segurança.

Análise dinâmica e verificação à fadiga de obras de arte rodoviárias mistas (aço-concreto) submetidas ao tráfego de veículos sobre o pavimento irregular.

As pontes rodoviárias metálicas e mistas (aço-concreto) são submetidas a um grande número de carregamentos repetitivos de diferentes magnitudes, ao longo do tempo. Estas ações dinâmicas podem causar a nucleação de fraturas ou mesmo a propagação destas sobre o sistema estrutural. A depender da magnitude, estes efeitos podem comprometer o sistema estrutural e a sua confiabilidade, além de reduzir a vida útil das pontes. Assim sendo, neste trabalho de pesquisa foi investigada a resposta dinâmica de uma ponte mista (aço-concreto), simplesmente apoiada, com vão de 40,0 m, submetida ao tráfego de veículos sobre a superfície irregular do pavimento. Para tal um modelo numérico representativo do sistema estrutural foi desenvolvido com base no emprego do programa ANSYS, por meio do uso de técnicas usuais de discretização, via método dos elementos finitos. Um estudo paramétrico foi desenvolvido para identificar, de forma qualitativa e quantitativa, o efeito das irregularidades do pavimento sobre o comportamento dinâmico da ponte mista investigada. Em seguida, a verificação do projeto à fadiga do sistema misto foi realizada, com base no emprego do algoritmo de contagem de ciclos Rainflow e em curvas S-N associadas às principais normas de projeto sobre o tema. As conclusões deste trabalho de pesquisa alertam aos engenheiros estruturais para a possibilidade concreta acerca do aumento do dano por fadiga, relacionado às ações dinâmicas de veículos trafegando sobre o tabuleiro de pontes em aço e mistas (aço-concreto).

Inovação tecnológica: análise comparativa entre dois métodos de coleta de dados sobre riscos e danos em enfermagem

Estudo de comparação entre dois métodos de coleta de dados, através da aplicação de um software, para avaliação dos fatores de risco e danos no trabalho de enfermagem em hospital. Objetiva analisar o uso do software (eletrônico) em comparação com o uso do instrumento impresso. Trata-se de um estudo estatístico, descritivo com abordagem quantitativa, desenvolvido nas enfermarias dos Serviços de Internações Clínicas e Serviços de Internações Cirúrgicas de um Hospital Universitário, no estado do Rio de Janeiro. A população do estudo foram os trabalhadores de enfermagem das unidades. A amostra foi definida por meio de amostragem não-probabilística e alocação da amostra ocorreu de forma aleatória em dois grupos, denominados grupo impresso e grupo eletrônico, com 52 participantes cada. Previamente a coleta de dados foram implementadas estratégias de pesquisa denominada teaser, através da comunicação digital aos trabalhadores. Posteriormente, foi ofertado aos participantes do formato impresso o questionário impresso, e os participantes do formato eletrônico receberam um link de acesso a home page. Os dados foram analisados através da estatística descritiva simples. Após a aplicação do questionário nos dois formatos, obteve-se resposta de 47 trabalhadores do grupo impresso (90,3%), e 17 trabalhadores do grupo eletrônico (32,7%). A aplicação do questionário impresso revelou algumas vantagens como o número de pessoas atingidas pela pesquisa, maior interação pesquisador e participante, taxa de retorno mais alta, e quanto às desvantagens a demanda maior de tempo, erros de transcrição, formulação de banco de dados, possibilidades de resposta em branco e erros de preenchimento. No formato eletrônico as vantagens incluem a facilidade de tabulação e análise dos dados, impossibilidade de não resposta, metodologia limpa e rápida, e como desvantagens, o acesso à internet no período de coleta de dados, saber usar o computador e menor taxa de resposta. Ambos os grupos observaram que o questionário possui boas instruções e fácil compreensão, além de curto tempo para resposta. Os trabalhadores perceberam a existência dos riscos ocupacionais, principalmente os ergonômicos, biológicos e de acidentes. Os principais danos à saúde provocados ou agravos pelo trabalho percebidos pelos trabalhadores foram os problemas osteomusculares, estresse, transtornos do sono, mudanças de humor e alterações de comportamento e varizes. Pode-se afirmar que não ocorreram diferenças acentuadas de percentual ao comparar a percepção dos trabalhadores do grupo impresso e do grupo eletrônico frente aos riscos e danos à saúde. Conclui-se que os dois processos de coleta de dados tiveram boa aceitação, no entanto, deve ser indicada a aplicação do questionário eletrônico junto com a ferramenta de acesso, no caso o computador, tablet.

Análise comparativa do efeito de resposta ao tratamento da Hepatite C entre o interferon peguilado e interferon-alfa associados à ribavirina em pacientes do HSE-RJ

A Hepatite C (HC) é um sério problema mundial de saúde pública. Pelas estimativas da Organização Mundial da Saúde, calcula-se que cerca de 3% da população mundial esteja infectada pelo vírus da hepatite C. O tratamento da HC objetiva deter a progressão da doença hepática pela inibição da replicação viral. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar o efeito de resposta ao tratamento da Hepatite C entre o interferon peguilado (PEGINF) + ribavirina (RBV) e interferon-alfa (INF) + ribavirina (RBV) além de avaliar a relação de fatores de risco, idade, sexo, genótipo, grau de fibrose hepática, tempo de tratamento e comorbidades associadas. Foi realizado levantamento retrospectivo dos prontuários dos pacientes atendidos no ambulatório de Hepatologia do Hospital dos Servidores do Estado do RJ (HSE), de 2001 a 2009. Modelos de regressão logística bivariadas e multivariadas foram utilizados nas análises. Cerca de 85% dos pacientes que trataram por 48 semanas e 15% dos que trataram por 24 semanas tiveram resposta virológica sustentada (RVS) positiva. Cerca de 65% dos pacientes que receberam PEGINF + RBV e 35% dos que receberam INF + RBV tiveram RVS positiva. Os achados deste estudo apontam que o efeito de resposta do tratamento de hepatite C com PEG-INF + RBV é superior ao tratamento com INF + RBV, e que a maior duração do tempo de tratamento também tem influência positiva na RVS. Em relação à interrupção do tratamento houve associação estatisticamente significativa entre o grau de fibrose hepática e a probabilidade de permanecer no tratamento, o risco de interrupção é seis vezes maior com o grau mais avançado de fibrose (F4) em relação ao menos avançado (F2). Também foi encontrado que o risco de interromper o tratamento após as primeiras 24 semanas para pacientes com genótipo 3 foi 2,5 vezes maior do que àqueles pacientes com genótipo 1.

Rhythm generation in monkey motor cortex explored using pyramidal tract stimulation.

We investigated whether stimulation of the pyramidal tract (PT) could reset the phase of 15-30 Hz beta oscillations observed in the macaque motor cortex. We recorded local field potentials (LFPs) and multiple single-unit activity from two conscious macaque monkeys performing a precision grip task. EMG activity was also recorded from the second animal. Single PT stimuli were delivered during the hold period of the task, when oscillations in the LFP were most prominent. Stimulus-triggered averaging of the LFP showed a phase-locked oscillatory response to PT stimulation. Frequency domain analysis revealed two components within the response: a 15-30 Hz component, which represented resetting of on-going beta rhythms, and a lower frequency 10 Hz response. Only the higher frequency could be observed in the EMG activity, at stronger stimulus intensities than were required for resetting the cortical rhythm. Stimulation of the PT during movement elicited a greatly reduced oscillatory response. Analysis of single-unit discharge confirmed that PT stimulation was capable of resetting periodic activity in motor cortex. The firing patterns of pyramidal tract neurones (PTNs) and unidentified neurones exhibited successive cycles of suppression and facilitation, time locked to the stimulus. We conclude that PTN activity directly influences the generation of the 15-30 Hz rhythm. These PTNs facilitate EMG activity in upper limb muscles, contributing to corticomuscular coherence at this same frequency. Since the earliest oscillatory effect observed following stimulation was a suppression of firing, we speculate that inhibitory feedback may be the key mechanism generating such oscillations in the motor cortex.

Viscoelastic properties of bone as a function of hydration state determined by nanoindentation

Spherical indentation creep testing was used to examine the effect of hydration state on bone mechanical properties. Analysis of creep data was based on the elastic-viscoelastic correspondence principle and utilized a direct solution for the finite loading-rate experimental conditions. The zero-time shear modulus was computed from the creep compliance function and compared to the indentation modulus obtained via conventional indentation analysis, based on an elastic unloading response. The method was validated using a well-known polymer material under three different loading conditions. The method was applied to bone samples prepared with different water content by partial exchange with ethanol, where 70% ethanol was considered as the baseline condition. A hydration increase was associated with a 43% decrease in stiffness, while a hydration decrease resulted in a 20% increase in bone tissue stiffness.

Instabilities and transient behaviors of a liquid film flowing down a porous inclined plane

The nonmodal linear stability of a falling film over a porous inclined plane has been investigated. The base flow is driven by gravity. We use Darcy's law to describe the flow in the porous medium. A simplified one-sided model is used to describe the fluid flow. In this model, the influence of the porous layer on the flow in the film can be identified by a parameter beta. The instabilities of a falling film have traditionally been investigated by linearizing the governing equations and testing for unstable eigenvalues of the linearized problem. However, the results of eigenvalue analysis agree poorly in many cases with experiments, especially for shear flows. In the present paper, we have studied the linear stability of three-dimensional disturbances using the nonmodal stability theory. Particular attentions are paid to the transient behavior rather than the long time behavior of eigenmodes predicted by traditional normal mode analysis. The transient behaviors of the response to external excitations and the response to initial conditions are studied by examining the pseudospectral structures and the energy growth function G(t) Before we study the nonmodal stability of the system, we extend the results of long-wave analysis in previous works by examining the linear stabilities for streamwise and spanwise disturbances. Results show that the critical conditions of both the surface mode and the shear mode instabilities are dependent on beta for streamwise disturbances. However, the spanwise disturbances have no unstable eigenvalue. 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3455503]

EASTMAN-AQ/NIII MODIFIED ELECTRODE CHARACTERIZATION AND APPLICATION IN FLOW-INJECTION DETERMINATION OF CARBOHYDRATES AND AMINO-ACIDS

A novel Eastman-AQ/Ni(II) chemically modified electrode (CME) produced by "double coating step" deposition of a poly(ester sulphonic acid) polymer film and Ni2+-containing crystalline species onto glassy carbon instead of a metallic nickel electrode exhibited stable electrocatalytic oxidation of numerous alpha-hydrogen compounds including carbohydrates, amines and amino acids. In cyclic voltammetry, the electrocatalysis appeared with an irreversible anodic wave at +0.55 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The CME was adapted for constant-potential amperometric detection of these compounds in flow injection analysis. Using the CME, the linear response concentration range was between 1.0 x 10(-5) and 5.0 x 10(-2) mol/l and the detection limit was 5.0 x 10(-6) mol/l for glucose. The stability of the CME was adequate for routine quantitative application.

Resource Curse or Destructive Creation: A Tale of Crony Capitalism in Transition

This paper explores the “resource curse” problem as a counter-example of creative performance and innovation by examining reliance on capital and physical resources, showing the gap between expectations and ex-post actual performance became clearer under conditions of economic turmoil. The analysis employs logistic regressions with dichotomous response and predictor variables, showing significant results.Several findings that have use for economic and business practice follow. First, in a transition period, a typical characteristic of successful firms was their reliance on either capital resources or physical asset endowments, whereas the innovation factor was not significant.Second, poor-performing enterprises exhibited evidence of over reliance on both capital and physical assets. Third, firms that relied on both types of resources tended to downplay creative performance. Fourth, reliance on capital/physical resources and adoption of “creative discipline/innovations” tend to be mutually exclusive. In fact, some evidence suggests that firms face more acute problem caused by the law of diminishing returns in troubled times. The Vietnamese corporate sector’s addiction to resources may contribute to economic deterioration, through a downward spiral of lower efficiency leading to consumption of more resources. The “innovation factor” has not been tapped as a source of economic growth. The absence of innovations and creativity has made the notion of “resource curse” become identical to “destructive creation” implemented by ex-ante resource-rich firms, and worsened the problem of resource misallocation in transition turmoil.

Multi-zone TAP-reactors theory and application - IV. Ideal and non-ideal boundary conditions

We study the influence of non-ideal boundary and initial conditions (BIC) of a temporal analysis of products (TAP) reactor model on the data (observed exit flux) analysis. The general theory of multi-response state-defining experiments for a multi-zone TAP reactor is extended and applied to model several alternative boundary and initial conditions proposed in the literature. The method used is based on the Laplace transform and the transfer matrix formalism for multi-response experiments. Two non-idealities are studied: (1) the inlet pulse not being narrow enough (gas pulse not entering the reactor in Dirac delta function shape) and (2) the outlet non-ideality due to imperfect vacuum. The effect of these non-idealities is analyzed to the first and second order of approximation. The corresponding corrections were obtained and discussed in detail. It was found that they are negligible. Therefore, the model with ideal boundary conditions is proven to be completely adequate to the description and interpretation of transport-reaction data obtained with TAP-2 reactors.