bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimenting with a computer essay-scoring program based on ESL student writing scripts
Authors: Coniam David 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThis paper describes a study of the computer essay-scoring program BETSY. While the use of computers in rating written scripts has been criticised in some quarters for lacking transparency or lack of fit with how human raters rate written scripts, a number of essay rating programs are available commercially, many of which claim to offer comparable reliability with human raters. Much of the validation of such programs has focused on native-speaking tertiary-level students writing in subject content areas. Instead of content areas with native-speakers, the data for this study is drawn from a representative sample of scripts from an English as a second language (ESL) Year 11 public examination in Hong Kong. The scripts (900 in total) are taken from a writing test consisting of three topics (300 scripts per topic), each representing a different genre. Results in the study show good correlations between human raters’ scores and the program BETSY. A rater discrepancy rate, where scripts need to be re-marked because of disagreement between two raters, emerged at levels broadly comparable with those derived from discrepancies between paired human raters. Little difference was apparent in the ratings of test takers on the three genres. The paper concludes that while computer essay-scoring programs may appear to rate inside a ‘black box’ with concomitant lack of transparency, they do have potential to act as a third rater, time-saving assessment tool. And as technology develops and rating becomes more transparent, so will their acceptability.
Multimodal student interaction online: an ecological perspective
Authors: Berglund Therese Örnberg 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThis article describes the influence of tool and task design on student interaction in language learning at a distance. Interaction in a multimodal desktop video conferencing environment, FlashMeeting, is analyzed from an ecological perspective with two main foci: participation rates and conversational feedback strategies. The quantitative analysis of participation rates shows that as far as verbal interaction is concerned, multimodality did not have an equalizing effect in this context, contradicting previous research on multimodal student interaction. Additionally, the qualitative analysis of conversational feedback strategies shows that whereas some multimodal strategies were employed, the students did not manage to fully act upon the communicative affordances of the tool, as the feedback ratio during and after the often long broadcasts was relatively low. These findings are related to task and tool design and the article discusses how design improvements in these areas might result in a more constructive language learning ecology.
Designing oral participation in Second Life – a comparative study of two language proficiency courses
Authors: Deutschmann Mats , Panichi Luisa , Molka-Danielsen Judith 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe following paper presents two stages of an action research project involving two oral proficiency courses held in the virtual world Second Life. Course 1 was conducted during the Autumn of 2007. Based on the experiences of this course, we redesigned many aspects of it in order to improve student activity in terms of oral participation and gave the course again in Spring 2008. By analysing the recordings of four 90-minute sessions, two from each course, we were able to measure student participation based on floor space, turn lengths and turn-taking patterns, and in the study we discuss how different changes in design may have contributed to more favourable outcomes. Results seem to indicate that meaning focussed task design, which involves authenticity and collaborative elements, has a direct impact on learner participation and engagement. Furthermore, our results seem to suggest that technical and social initiations into a complex environment such as SL are important factors that have to be worked into the course design.
An evaluation of independent learning of the Japanese hiragana system using an interactive CD
Authors: Geraghty Barbara , Marcus Quinn Ann 
Published: May 2009

AbstractAs Japanese uses three writing systems (hiragana, katakana, and the ideograms known as kanji), and as materials in the target language include all three, it is a major challenge to learn to read and write quickly. This paper focuses on interactive multi-media methods of teaching Japanese reading which foster learner autonomy.As little has been published on interactive multi-media methods of teaching Japanese reading, it seems likely that traditional resources are generally used for this activity. The courseware includes sound files showing the pronunciation of eachkanaas well as simultaneous animation showing how to write each character. This paper investigates whether interactive courseware, used independently of classroom interaction, results in measurably greater recognition of the hiragana syllabary than more traditional methods. After briefly situating the study in the context of research on the teaching of Japanese reading and learner autonomy, the paper will present the courseware as well as an empirical study comparing the results of the use of the courseware by learners at beginners’ level: one group using the courseware, and the other using paper-based materials. This is followed by an account of learner diaries written by zero-beginner level learners of Japanese using the courseware.The study indicates that acquisition of a recognition-level knowledge of hiragana is approximately twice as fast using the courseware as using paper-based materials. Learners also learned to write the hiragana without explicit instruction.
The slow:fast substitution ratio reveals changing patterns of natural selection in γ-proteobacterial genomes
Authors: Shapiro B Jesse , Alm Eric 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Different microbial species are thought to occupy distinct ecological niches, subjecting each species to unique selective constraints, which may leave a recognizable signal in their genomes. Thus, it may be possible to extract insight into the genetic basis of ecological differences among lineages by identifying unusual patterns of substitutions in orthologous gene or protein sequences. We used the ratio of substitutions in slow- versus fast-evolving sites (nucleotides in DNA, or amino acids in protein sequence) to quantify deviations from the typical pattern of selective constraint observed across bacterial lineages. We propose that elevated S:F in one branch (an excess of slow-site substitutions) can indicate a functionally relevant change, due to either positive selection or relaxed evolutionary constraint. In a genome-wide comparative study of γ-proteobacterial proteins, we find that cell-surface proteins involved with motility and secretion functions often have high S:F ratios, whereas information-processing genes do not. Change in evolutionary constraints in some species is evidenced by increased S:F ratios within functionally related sets of genes (for example, energy production in Pseudomonas fluorescens), whereas other species apparently evolve mostly by drift (for example, uniformly elevated S:F across most genes in Buchnera spp.). Overall, S:F reveals several species-specific, protein-level changes with potential functional/ecological importance. As microbial genome projects yield more species-rich gene trees, the S:F ratio will become an increasingly powerful tool for uncovering functional genetic differences among species.
Carbon and nitrogen substrate utilization in the marine bacterium Sphingopyxis alaskensis strain RB2256
Authors: Williams Timothy J , Ertan Haluk , Ting Lily , Cavicchioli Ricardo 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Sphingopyxis alaskensis is a marine member of the Alphaproteobacteria that is adapted to heterotrophic growth under nutrient-depleted (oligotrophic) conditions. S. alaskensis strain RB2256 is an ultramicrobacterium (cell volume &lt;0.1 μm3), and has a genome size larger than that of the ultramicrobacterium ‘Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique’ HTCC1062 (SAR11 clade of Alphaproteobacteria): 3.35 versus 1.31 Mbp. In this study, we investigate the carbon and nitrogen metabolism of strain RB2256 using an integrated approach that combines growth and enzyme assays, proteomics and genome analysis. S. alaskensis is able to use specific amino acids and putrescine as a sole carbon and nitrogen source, and higher energy-yielding substrates such as glucose and trehalose as carbon sources. Alanine, in particular, emerges as a very important substrate in S. alaskensis metabolism. In an oligotrophic environment where competition for nutrients is intense, our data support a simplified metabolism for S. alaskensis in which the fate of certain substrates is constrained, especially at the intersections of central carbon and nitrogen metabolism, in order to ensure optimal disposition of scarce resources. This is the first investigation of central metabolism for an oligotrophic ultramicrobacterium that possesses a relatively large genome size. In contrast to the behavior so far observed for SAR11 oligotrophic bacteria, S. alaskensis shows a physiological capacity to exploit increases in ambient nutrient availability and thereby achieve high-population densities.
Reversal of Profound Neuromuscular Block by Sugammadex Administered Three Minutes after Rocuronium
Authors: Lee Chingmuh , Jahr Jonathan S. , Candiotti Keith A. , Warriner Brian , Zornow Mark H. , Naguib Mohamed 
Published: May 2009

Background
Rocuronium in intubation doses provides similar intubation conditions as succinylcholine, but has a longer duration of action. This study compared time to sugammadex reversal of profound rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block with time to spontaneous recovery from succinylcholine.

Methods
One hundred and fifteen adult American Society of Anesthesiologists Class I-II surgical patients were randomized to this multicenter, safety-assessor-blinded, parallel group, active-controlled, Phase IIIa trial. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol and an opioid. Neuromuscular transmission was blocked and tracheal intubation facilitated with 1.2 mg/kg rocuronium or 1 mg/kg succinylcholine. Sugammadex (16 mg/kg) was administered 3 min after rocuronium administration. Neuromuscular function was monitored by acceleromyography. The primary efficacy endpoint was the time from the start of relaxant administration to recovery of the first train-of-four twitch (T(1)) to 10%.

Results
One hundred and ten patients received study treatment. Mean times to recovery of (T(1)) to 10% and (T(1)) to 90% were significantly faster in the rocuronium-sugammadex group (4.4 and 6.2 min, respectively), as compared with the succinylcholine group (7.1 and 10.9 min, respectively; all P < 0.001). Timed from sugammadex administration, the mean time to recovery of (T(1)) to 10%, (T(1)) to 90%, and the train-of-four (T(4)/T(1)) ratio to 0.9 was 1.2, 2.9, and 2.2 min, respectively. Reoccurrence of the block was not observed. There were no serious adverse events related to study treatments.

Conclusion
Reversal of profound high-dose rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block (1.2 mg/kg) with 16 mg/kg sugammadex was significantly faster than spontaneous recovery from 1 mg/kg succinylcholine.
Lidocaine Protects from Myocardial Damage due to Ischemia and Reperfusion in Mice by Its Antiapoptotic Effects
Authors: Kaczmarek Dominik J. , Herzog Christine , Larmann Jan , Gillmann Hans-Jörg , Hildebrand Reinhard , Schmitz Martina , Westermann Anik , Harendza Thomas , Werdehausen Robert , Osthaus Alexander W. , Echtermeyer Frank , Hahnenkamp Klaus , Wollert Kai C. , Theilmeier Gregor 
Published: May 2009

Background
Perioperative myocardial ischemia poses a vital threat to surgical patients. Means to protect postischemic myocardium are clinically not available. Lidocaine has been demonstrated to exert antiinflammatory pleiotropic effects. The authors set out to test if lidocaine protects ischemic myocardium from reperfusion injury.

Method
A mouse model of transient coronary artery ligation (30 min) and reperfusion (24 h) was used with animal care committee approval. Infarct size and area-at-risk were determined. Leukocyte recruitment was quantified on immunohistochemical stainings. Apoptosis was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect histone modifications and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assays. Lidocaine effects on leukocyte-endothelial interactions were assessed in vitro by using a parallel-plate flow chamber or static adhesion assays.

Results
Infarct size per area-at-risk was reduced by 27% in mice treated with a lidocaine bolus (1 mg/kg) before a continuous infusion (0.6 mg . kg(-1) . h(-1)) during ischemia (P < 0.005). Neutrophil density in the infarct and periinfarct zone was not reduced by lidocaine, although the size of the infiltrated area was. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling-positive cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells were significantly reduced in the periinfarct zone by lidocaine. In vitro, no effect on leukocyte rolling or firm adhesion to resting or activated endothelium was demonstrable. In vitro, lidocaine reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by hypoxia and reoxygenation (3h/1h) significantly. Infarct size and in vitro cardiomyocyte apoptosis were likewise reduced when lidocaine bolus and infusion were administered after the ischemic insult.

Conclusion
Lidocaine exerts cardioprotective effects when administered before or after the ischemic insult. This effect is mediated through an antiapoptotic and not through an antiinflammatory pathway and may be therapeutically exploitable.
Neuronal Preconditioning by Inhalational Anesthetics
Authors: Bantel Carsten , Maze Mervyn , Trapp Stefan 
Published: May 2009

Background
Ischemic preconditioning is an important intrinsic mechanism for neuroprotection. Preconditioning can also be achieved by exposure of neurons to K+ channel-opening drugs that act on adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+ (K(ATP)) channels. However, these agents do not readily cross the blood-brain barrier. Inhalational anesthetics which easily partition into brain have been shown to precondition various tissues. Here, the authors explore the neuronal preconditioning effect of modern inhalational anesthetics and investigate their effects on K(ATP) channels.

Methods
Neuronal-glial cocultures were exposed to inhalational anesthetics in a preconditioning paradigm, followed by oxygen-glucose deprivation. Increased cell survival due to preconditioning was quantified with the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide reduction test. Recombinant plasmalemmal K(ATP) channels of the main neuronal type (Kir6.2/SUR1) were expressed in HEK293 cells, and the effects of anesthetics were evaluated in whole cell patch clamp recordings.

Results
Both sevoflurane and the noble gas xenon preconditioned neurons at clinically used concentrations. The effect of sevoflurane was independent of K(ATP) channel activation, whereas the effect of xenon required the opening of plasmalemmal K(ATP) channels. Recombinant K(ATP) channels were activated by xenon but inhibited by halogenated volatiles. Modulation of mitochondrial K-ATP channels did not affect the activity of K(ATP) channels, thus ruling out an indirect effect of volatiles via mitochondrial channels.

Conclusions
The preconditioning properties of halogenated volatiles cannot be explained by their effect on K(ATP) channels, whereas xenon preconditioning clearly involves the activation of these channels. Therefore, xenon might mimic the intrinsic mechanism of ischemic preconditioning most closely. This, together with its good safety profile, might suggest xenon as a viable neuroprotective agent in the clinical setting.
Dexmedetomidine Attenuates Isoflurane-induced Neurocognitive Impairment in Neonatal Rats
Authors: Sanders Robert D. , Xu Jing , Shu Yi , Januszewski Adam , Halder Sunil , Fidalgo Antonio , Sun Pamela , Hossain Mahmuda , Ma Daqing , Maze Mervyn 
Published: May 2009

Background
Neuroapoptosis is induced by the administration of anesthetic agents to the young. As alpha2 adrenoceptor signaling plays a trophic role during development and is neuroprotective in several settings of neuronal injury, the authors investigated whether dexmedetomidine could provide functional protection against isoflurane-induced injury.

Methods
Isoflurane-induced injury was provoked in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures in vitro or in vivo in postnatal day 7 rats by a 6-h exposure to 0.75% isoflurane with or without dexmedetomidine. In vivo, the alpha2 adrenoceptor antagonist atipamezole was used to identify if dexmedetomidine neuroprotection involved alpha2 adrenoceptor activation. The gamma-amino-butyric-acid type A antagonist, gabazine, was also added to the organotypic hippocampal slice cultures in the presence of isoflurane. Apoptosis was assessed using cleaved caspase-3 immunohistochemistry. Cognitive function was assessed in vivo on postnatal day 40 using fear conditioning.

Results
In vivo dexmedetomidine dose-dependently prevented isoflurane-induced injury in the hippocampus, thalamus, and cortex; this neuroprotection was attenuated by treatment with atipamezole. Although anesthetic treatment did not affect the acquisition of short-term memory, isoflurane did induce long-term memory impairment. This neurocognitive deficit was prevented by administration of dexmedetomidine, which also inhibited isoflurane-induced caspase-3 expression in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures in vitro; however, gabazine did not modify this neuroapoptosis.

Conclusion
Dexmedetomidine attenuates isoflurane-induced injury in the developing brain, providing neurocognitive protection. Isoflurane-induced injury in vitro appears to be independent of activation of the gamma-amino-butyric-acid type A receptor. If isoflurane-induced neuroapoptosis proves to be a clinical problem, administration of dexmedetomidine may be an important adjunct to prevent isoflurane-induced neurotoxicity.
Prediction of Neurological Outcome Using Bispectral Index Monitoring in Patients with Severe Ischemic-Hypoxic Brain Injury Undergoing Emergency Surgery
Authors: Myles Paul S. , Daly David , Silvers Andrew , Cairo Sesto 
Published: May 2009

Background
Predicting outcome from ischemic-hypoxic brain injury can be difficult in patients rushed to the operating room for time-critical emergency surgery. The authors chose to evaluate the prognostic ability of bispectral index (BIS) in this setting.

Methods
Twenty-five critically ill, unconscious patients with ischemic-hypoxic brain injury undergoing emergency surgery were prospectively studied. Clinical evaluation, laboratory investigations, BIS, and burst suppression ratio were recorded before and during surgery. Neurologic outcome of the patients was measured according to the Glasgow outcome scale at 30 days after injury, with poor neurologic outcome defined as severe disability or death.

Results
The incidence of poor neurologic outcome was 68%. Neither clinical judgment (P = 0.40) nor pupillary responses (P = 0.21) were predictive of neurologic outcome after surgery. An abnormal BIS trace was strongly associated with poor neurologic outcome, positive likelihood ratio 6.6 (95% CI 1.7-36.4; exact test P = 0.002). Some BIS values were significantly different when comparing patients with and without poor outcome: c-statistics for the average BIS and maximal electroencephalographic burst-suppression were 0.80 (95% CI 0.62-0.98; P = 0.017) and 0.84 (95% CI 0.68-0.99; P = 0.007), respectively. A normal BIS (P < 0.0005) but not clinical judgment (P = 0.16) could identify a group of patients more likely to survive with a good neurologic outcome.

Conclusions
BIS, when compared with clinical judgment and routine laboratory tests, provides useful information that may identify patients with a good chance of recovery after ischemic-hypoxic brain injury requiring emergency surgery.
Lidocaine Concentration in Cerebrospinal Fluid after Epidural Administration
Authors: Kamiya Yoshinori , Kikuchi Tatsuaki , Inagawa Gaku , Miyazaki Hiroshi , Miura Masashi , Morita Satoshi , Goto Takahisa 
Published: May 2009

Background
In this study, lidocaine concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at different interspaces were measured with or without preceding spinal anesthesia, 10 min after epidural injection of lidocaine, to investigate the effects of preceding meningeal puncture on CSF concentrations of epidurally administered local anesthetic.

Methods
Sixty patients scheduled to receive combined spinal-epidural anesthesia were randomly allocated to receive either spinal anesthesia first (group CSEA) or epidural lidocaine first (group Epi). Each group was divided into three subgroups in which the site of epidural cannulation and spinal tap were separated by one, three, or five interspaces (sets I, II, and III, respectively). CSF was collected from the L4-L5 interspace 10 min after 10 ml lidocaine, 1%, was administered epidurally. In group Epi, CSF was collected after epidural administration of lidocaine and before spinal anesthesia. In group CSEA, spinal anesthesia was performed at the L3-L4 interspace after epidural cannulation and epidural lidocaine was administered postoperatively, after which CSF was sampled.

Results
Lidocaine concentrations in CSF were significantly higher with increasing proximity of epidural injection site to CSF collection site in both groups. There were no significant differences in CSF lidocaine concentrations between group CSEA and group Epi in set I, although lidocaine concentrations were significantly higher in group CSEA set II and III patients.

Conclusion
Lidocaine concentration in CSF was similar with or without preceding meningeal puncture beneath the epidural administration site.
Influence of Disease Progression on the Neuromuscular Blocking Effect of Mivacurium in Children and Adolescents with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Authors: Ihmsen Harald , Schmidt Joachim , Schwilden Helmut , Schmitt Hubert J. , Muenster Tino 
Published: May 2009

Background
Studies with nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents showed a delayed onset and prolonged recovery in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The objective of this study was to investigate if these alterations depend on disease progression.

Methods
The authors studied 11 children (6-9 yr) with moderate Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 11 adolescents (12-16 yr) with advanced Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and 2 age-matched control groups of 8 patients each (5-9 and 10-17 yr). Anesthesia was performed with propofol and remifentanil. Patients received a single intravenous dose of 0.2 mg/kg mivacurium. Neuromuscular transmission was monitored by acceleromyography. The time course of neuromuscular blockade was characterized by the onset time and the times to different levels of recovery.

Results
Onset and duration of neuromuscular blockade were significantly prolonged in adolescent Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients (onset time, 4.0 min; recovery index, 12.3 min; median), as compared with Duchenne muscular dystrophy children (onset time, 2.3 min; recovery index, 6.8 min), and also as compared with young controls (onset time, 2.0 min; recovery index, 4.4 min) and adolescent controls (onset time, 2.5 min; recovery index, 4.8 min). Within the Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, onset time and recovery index increased significantly with age. In the control group, age had no effect.

Conclusions
The neuromuscular blocking effects of mivacurium showed a significant age dependency in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, which was most probably caused by the progression of the disease.